


Help! My Roommates Are Demons!

by reverseharem



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But we all knew that, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Gen, Hell, Indra's an ass, Multi, Smut, akatsaku - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-24 12:20:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 95,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4919371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reverseharem/pseuds/reverseharem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After moving to her new home for a fresh start, Sakura is greeted with the faces of six men claiming to be demons. Reluctantly, she decides to join their group, working under an angel named Indra. However, things aren't as they appear. Were demons as cold-hearted and vicious as humans thought?  Conflicts rise as the fate of both the human and deities' worlds are at risk. So what could Sakura, a mortal girl, possibly do to make a difference?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Demons Aren't Real!

As he sat in his leather office chair, the older man filed carefully through a large stack of students' information and entrance exam performance sheets. "Ah, I see. You are here. I apologize, Haruno-san."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "You had me frightened, Sarutobi-sama. Now that we have this settled, I would like to conclude this session by saying I will most definitely be attending Konoha - School of Medical Science."

"That's good to hear. We are fortunate to have such a bright and talented young woman attending our school." Lacing his fingers together, he leaned forward. "Oh, and about your living arrangements...? I would feel uncomfortable not knowing if you had such a long commute."

Sakura waved away his fretting. "Don't worry about that, Sarutobi-sama. I've got everything planned out," she replied confidently.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's shoulders relaxed and the man smiled at the girl. "Excellent. I may not say this to every student, but I'm looking forward to watching as your future unfolds before you. Welcome to K-SOMS, Haruno-san."

"Thank you very much!" Sakura stood from her seat and bowed deeply to the founder of her new school.

Walking briskly and pushing through crowds, Sakura waited at the bus stop as her heart thumped hard against her chest. She had bought three copies of the different newspapers in town, but there wasn't a single apartment for rent - an affordable one, that is. She even searched the web, but with no success. What was she supposed to do? Sleep with the bums in the alleyway?!

Showing her transit card to the bus driver, Sakura sat in the first row of empty seats. Returning to her old town was impossible, she made a promise that she would not ask for help from anyone - she could do anything if she had the determination. Also, she had emptied her entire savings account and left without a proper good-bye.

Absent-mindedly, Sakura reached for her suitcase to searched the web from her phone. She searched underneath the seat, beside her, even by the door, but-

Sakura gasped, "My suitcase!" She had forgotten it!

Quickly pressing the 'Request Stop' button in front of her, Sakura apologized to the driver and exited the bus. She evaded the growing crowd of people returning home and raced through the crosswalk, unable to wait for traffic to cease. Cars and trucks honked as she hindered the flow of traffic, but she ignored them. That suitcase was an absolute necessity!

It contained all of the money she ever saved from her summer jobs!

Breathing heavily, she made it to the university... only to find the gates closed. She was too late! Devastated, she lumbered back to the bus stop. Now, she _had_ to sleep in the alleyway.

"Haruno-san?" A woman's voice called behind her. "Is this suitcase yours?"

Turning back, Sakura stumbled towards her and rested her hand on the suitcase. "Yes! I had forgotten it in Sarutobi-sama's office."

"He told me to hurry and return it to you. Well, here you go." She released her grip around the handle and returned Sakura's most precious belonging.

"Thank you, Shizune-sensei." She bowed, grateful that her mistake did not end in misfortune.

Shizune smiled warmly. "You're welcome. I hope to see you in my class someday. Have a good night, Haruno-san." She retreated down the sidewalk and out of Sakura's line of sight.

Although she had luck on her side with this incident, how in the world was she supposed to find a place to stay?

"I guess I can dip into my savings... Man, for a prodigy, I certainly didn't expect myself to act this stupid. I should have known that place was a scam," she said aloud to herself. "Maybe I can check into a cheap love hotel, but will they accept me if I don't bring someone with me?" She began walking aimlessly as she delved deeper into the possibilities. "I know! I'll just tell them that I'll be waiting for him. They won't know any better!"

The sky darkened as the sun set below the horizon, casting shadows on the large skyscrapers and leaving the luminescent glow of the city's buildings as her only source of light. The air was growing chilly in the early-April evening, but Sakura's body hadn't bothered to worry over the cold - only the adrenaline coursing through her body as she began to pass through a dark, suspicious area of town.

She wasn't truly scared or worried for herself, but it didn't ease her mind that she was crossing a small slum of shady businesses. Grundgey men leaned against the old, moss-covered walls of abandoned buildings. They took a glance at her and tried calling the girl over, but Sakura quickened her pace. Luckily, skyscrapers grew larger in size and she easily found a love hotel advertising a deal for a cheaper stay. However, in the corner of her eye, she caught a sign that piqued her interest instead.

_'For Rent!'_

Sakura rushed across the street and examined the sign following its direction until she stopped at a two-story home. It appeared in fair shape and seemed to fit well for her. She rummaged through her suitcase and pulled her phone out of one of the many pockets inside. Dialing the number listed on the sign with a red marker, she crossed her fingers, praying that this would be the last ounce of luck she needed in her lifetime.

"Yeah?" The voice on the opposite line sounded hoarse and miserable.

"H-hello? My name is Haruno Sakura. I just found a home for rent in Konoha - University District and was wondering if I could meet with you?"

The other voice suddenly fell silent. Assuming the person hung up, Sakura almost ended the call until she heard a fervent voice hiss inaudible words to someone else. After another minute of quiet, fuzzy chatter, the voice finally answered her.

"Can you meet tonight?"

Sakura's heart danced within her chest. What luck! "Yes, of course! Where would you like to discuss the terms?"

OoOoOOoOoO

If the area outside of the university made her uneasy, Sakura could not argue that the disgusting bar she agreed to meet in caused her to feel violently ill. The bar's lighting was barely even called such as many areas were pitch-black with heaven-knows-what happening in the dark. She grabbed a seat at the counter and nervously held her suitcase close, making sure to keep both eyes out for scummy, unwelcomed guests.

"Haruno Sakura?" A tap on her shoulder startled her and the poor girl fell from her stool.

She cursed under her breath and picked herself off of the dirty floor. "What the hell?!" She was surprised to see a woman standing by with an amused smirk on her face.

"Did I scare you?" she asked, a laugh in her voice.

Her voice sounded much huskier over the phone. Regardless, Sakura felt better knowing the owner of the home was a woman. "Are you Senju Tsunade?"

"You got it." She sat at the stool beside Sakura's. "So are you sure you want to rent this place? You look kind of young. Can you even afford it?"

Sakura nodded her head furiously. "Yes! The price you listed is definitely within my budget!"

Tsunade raised a brow. This girl was definitely someone to get to know. "Alright then. I'll need the first month's rent immediately and I'll need you to fill out a few forms. Where are you staying right now?"

Slumping her shoulders, Sakura turned away, embarrassed. "Nowhere..."

"You idiot! What, did you just pack everything and leave?! Who thinks like that?" Tsunade shouted incredulously.

Calming down, Tsunade sighed, bringing her hands up to her head and rubbing her temples. "Well, I guess I can come unlock the place for you... but if you don't like it-"

"Trust me, Senju-sama. I can't afford to find another place. I'll take it no matter what." Sakura rested a hand over her heart, taking a silent vow that she meant every word.

Tsunade nodded, trusting the girl's word. "Come with me. I brought my car."

OoOoOOoOoO

The interior of the house seemed in the same condition as the outside, perhaps slightly better. With a large living area connected to a kitchen already furnished with like-new appliances, Sakura wondered to herself why this house hadn't already been taken.

"It's two-stories, so if you ever need someone to move in to help pay just give me some notice. I visit every few months or so to check on things, so take good care of it. Tomorrow, probably around ten o'clock, I'll come by to see how you like it and to fill out all the forms I need." Tsunade pointed to the back of the house. "There's a bathroom down the hallway and a washroom with both a washer and dryer already installed. I would try to hold in any use of the toilet until tomorrow morning. Anyway, I'm going to get out of here. Good night, Sakura."

"Good night, Senju-sama. Thank you so much for your kindness!" Sakura bowed at the waist as Tsunade walked passed her to the front door.

Stepping through the doorway, Tsunade faced Sakura with a smile. "Just call me 'Tsunade', okay? I'm not really into formalities."

OoOoOOoOoO

Without a bed, Sakura decided the most comfortable area to sleep in would be the living room. It had been too late for Tsunade to consult the power company, so Sakura was left alone with only the darkness as her company. She didn't mind at all, really. Sakura had grown out of her timid personality as a child.

Closing her eyes, Sakura tried to relax well enough to fall asleep. Tossing and turning, it was difficult to stay comfortable, but she had to admit that sleeping on a floor was better than outside.

"Just relax... Everything will fall into place soon enough," she mumbled to herself.

Laying on her stomach, Sakura finally fell into a deep sleep. While she slept, her dreams were comprised of passing all of her classes with the highest scores, graduating university and becoming one of the most well-known, female doctors in all of Japan and, quite possibly, the world!

"Who the fuck is she?" The harsh voice radiated from an unknown place.

Another voice joined. "Don't worry about it. Like the others, she'll be gone in a week or two."

"Man, she's a heavy sleeper. Do you think we could take a look at her panties?" A third voice chimed in.

"Don't be an idiot. Let's just do what we usually do and we'll be just fine," the second voice stated flatly.

The third's voice moaned. "Ah, but she's so cute~! Come on, one peek?"

"Stop behaving so childish," a fourth voice commented, "Let's go. We've got a lot more to worry about than a little girl."

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura awoke to the jingle of her phone's alarm and sat up, stretching her arms to her fingertips. Her back ached, but she continued her morning ritual without a complaint. Tsunade had apparently called a few people as it appeared that the water from the sink flowed without difficulty. She had only tried it for a 'why not' and was happy that she didn't have to wait to brush her teeth.

Walking back to the living room, Sakura searched through her suitcase, but could not find her tooth brush. She knew it wasn't possible that she had forgotten it simply because she remembered marking it off of her checklist. Hell, she even placed it in the same pouch as her tooth paste. Annoyed, she kicked her suitcase and moved onto brushing her hair. On the walk to the bathroom, Sakura noticed something from her peripheral vision. Turning, she frowned as her eyes set upon the same toothbrush she had stowed away in her suitcase. It puzzled her. Why would it be laying on the floor, so close to the bathroom? Could she have mindlessly brought the toothbrush with her and had dropped it? Shouldn't she have remembered this since it only happened minutes ago?

"Oh, no... a ghost stole my toothbrush!" she exclaimed dramatically. Laughing it off, she returned to retrieve her toothpaste and brushed her teeth in the bathroom.

Today, she decided to explore the city until Tsunade's meeting. Afterwards, she would venture off to buy all of the furniture and other items on her list. If she had enough time, she could ask around about job openings.

Sakura spit out the excess toothpaste and splashed some water on her face. Smiling brightly into the mirror, she took great pride at her accomplishments already. With luck on her side, she could even get some good prices on the furniture she needed!

"Wow, you certainly have your life in order," a hushed voice whispered in her ear.

Sakura's heart jumped into her throat. Pivoting on her heels, Sakura searched for this unknown person, but it had vanished within seconds of its spoken words. Frantically, Sakura searched every room of the house (her hairbrush as her only weapon), but found absolutely nothing.

Feeling uncomfortable, Sakura got dressed and left the house.

"Was that necessary?" the second voice from the night before asked.

"Oh, it was funny. What, do you actually want her to live here? I'm helping out." The voice sounded irritated with the second's chiding.

"Whatever. Just tell us next time."

OoOoOOoOoO

It was actually six days before her classes began, Sakura took this small window of time and spent it carefully, scheduling everything she needed finished beforehand. After calming down from the strange incident in her bathroom, Sakura simply excused it as her imagination. She had pretended that there was a ghost in the house, so her mind subconsciously caused her to think about the imaginary world of ghosts and ghouls.

Removing her list from her jacket's pocket, Sakura started with the first line: a bed. She had heard a few deals over the radio on the bus, so she decided to start her hunt at the local mattress and bedding shop.

"Would you like us to deliver this? It only costs a few extra yen," the salesman asked, snatching away the money she had in her hand.

"Yeah, sure. Here's the address." She pulled a piece of old scrap paper from her pocket and scribbled down the address with the pen on the counter.

Suddenly, the man's smile faded and, before Sakura's eyes, the color in his face paled. "Oh, the school district? Is this the house that was up for rent?"

"Yes," Sakura replied, growing concerned over the man's condition. "Are you okay?"

The man tore his eyes away from the piece of paper and tried to appear unperturbed. "I'm f-fine! Don't worry, miss! We'll have someone deliver it to your house tonight. Just make sure you have all the lights on, o-okay?"

Leaving the store, Sakura ambled to her next destination: the general store to purchase cooking supplies. Strange, the man appeared very rattled as he read over her address. Was he scared of the slums in the area? He shouldn't have been so afraid though. She was quite the distance away...

"Are you sure you can carry all of this? It's quite a lot," the clerk asked, handing her the last bag.

"I'll be fine. It's not very far from my home."

"Perhaps I could help you? My manager allows delivery or I could just carry a few bags for you," she suggested.

"Well, if you'd like to... I live in the university district, between the old bookstore and Yakiniku Shimizu. But if you think that's too far- what's wrong?" Sakura stopped to observe the exact response from earlier on the store clerk's face.

"I'm so sorry, m-miss, but I feel so sick all of a-a-a sudden! I don't think I can help you c-carry your bags." She sputtered her words as though she was deathly ill.

Sakura, with an eyebrow raised, walked out of the store, her insides twisting into knots. It was simply no coincidence that two people had become disturbed or frightened by her new address. She wasn't ignorant and found their behavior quite strange. Glancing at the time on her wristwatch, Sakura noted she had enough time to finish at the furniture store, sign for deliveries, and make it home for Tsunade's meeting.

Just like the last two incidents, the man that had been motivated and friendly became visibly shaken by her home. Although he promised they would arrive by the night, he again, advised her to keep her porch light on for a 'safe delivery'.

She reached her home, the house key Tsunade gifted her with ready in her hand. To her surprise, Sakura found the door already unlocked, barely closed. Fear washed over her and she stood frozen for a moment. It was a possibility that Tsunade could have entered the home with her own key, but wouldn't she have just called her?

She decided to not take any chances.

Quietly, she dropped her bags and fished through them until she pulled out her new wok and gripped its handle tightly. She did her best to enter the home without signalling any intruders and made her way through each room. Lurking behind corners, she listened for any strange sounds. With one hand holding the rail, Sakura climbed the stairs into the second story. With her heart beating furiously in her chest, she finally reached the top of the stairs and looked through the only two rooms that occupied the next level.

Thankfully, she found nothing - even the closets were empty. But her relief was short-lived as she had forgotten there was a closet downstairs that the invader could have easily hidden inside. By now, if he or she had realized she had arrived home, they could have fled by now with what they wanted (but she truly didn't have much to even steal).

"I-if you're there, I'm giving you the opportunity to leave. I won't bother calling the police - even if I see your face. Just go and never come back!" she yelled aloud, reaching the end of the stairs and walking cautiously to the hall closet.

The silence inside the house only made her feel worse. Her eyes were locked on to the closet door, but nothing had changed as she could hear no movement inside. Were they planning to attack her?!

"I'm armed. If you try anything, I will not hesitate to defend myself!" she warned. After a second of no action, she added, "This is your last chance!"

Ripping open the closet door, she lifted the wok, but opened her eyes to find not a single trace of another person occupying the open space.

A knock on the door brought her back to reality. "Sakura? It's Tsunade," the woman called through the door.

Taking another glance in the closet, Sakura shut it and lumbered to her front door. She greeted Tsunade with a smile, "Good afternoon, Tsunade."

"Hey, what's up with all these bags by the door?"

Sakura's face flushed. "O-oh! It's nothing, don't worry about it. Please, come in."

Raising a brow, Tsunade helped grab a few of the bags and entered Sakura's living room. "Man, did you really leave home with nothing? This place is empty."

"I am actually expecting some furniture to be delivered. Also, once we finish with these forms, I plan on calling my dad to help deliver a few things." Possibly a new security system, as well?

Tsunade nodded, handing the rest of the bags to Sakura. Reaching into the folder nestled under her arm, she pulled out a large stack of papers. "These simply state the rules and expectations I have for all of my tenants. You can browse through them, but don't take all day. The last pages are where you need to sign that you agree to my terms and will count yourself responsible for any violations. Understand?"

"Yes," Sakura answered, reading through a few sentences at a time. After filing through each page, Sakura signed her name on each line.

Grabbing the papers from Sakura, Tsunade smiled and placed them inside the folder. "Now, I'll just need the deposit payment."

"Oh, right." Sakura opened her wallet and pulled out the exact amount Tsunade requested.

"I'll call the power company when I arrive home. The time it will take may be a few hours to another day... Anyway, I look forward to our time together, Sakura."

OoOoOOoOoO

After her phone call with her father, Sakura waited patiently for the deliverymen to come and drop off her new furniture. She spent the time organizing all of her pots and pans into the shelf above the stove and stocking her fridge full of all of the on-sale food she could find. Yes, she was _slightly_ cheap, but she wasn't trying to impress anyone.

As she stacked her dishes into a cabinet built over the open counter. A hard, single knock grasped her attention and she ran to inspect who it was through the peephole - a delivery man holding a clipboard.

Opening her door, Sakura noticed the anxious look on the man's face. "H-hey there! I'm here to deliver your mattress. All I need is your signature and I'll haul it into your room."

"Okay?" Sakura signed her name and the man hurried passed her, struggling with the mattress. "Would you like any help?"

Lifting the mattress onto the stairs, he grunted, "No! I can handle this. I don't want to take anymore time than I need to."

"You're taking longer doing it by yourself than if I helped you," Sakura replied, annoyed. "Move out of the way. I'll pull it while you push." Sakura raced up the stairs and lifted the mattress without bothering to hear any oppositions from the deliveryman.

As she had said, it took half the amount of time it would have if the young man did it by himself. Laying it where she had requested, the man nervously eyed the room, his mind obviously on other things.

"So do you know why this place wasn't already taken? Seems like a steal considering it's near the school and in great condition," Sakura asked humorously.

The man snapped out of his thoughts and frowned. "Err, don't have a clue. Anyway, I better get going... I have a few more deliveries." He excused himself with a bow and moved down the stairs quickly. "Thank you for choosing our store as your mattress choice!"

Later, two deliverymen appeared and brought her living room furniture inside before she could greet them. They hurried to their truck and finished the delivery by placing her table set inside the kitchen. Without bothering her to sign any papers, they left without a single word; as though even breathing would cause them to stay longer.

Sakura didn't care. She finally felt like an adult. Examining her purchases, she laughed out loud. Now, all she needed to complete her home was her bedroom furniture, desk and computer taken from her old bedroom.

Oh, and a job, but that could wait as she had money to live off of two months of rent, including some to spend on food. Nevertheless, she would still look through the newspapers and apply at any company or restaurant she could find. Sitting on her comfortable couch, she rested her head on the arm and stared contentedly at the ceiling.

Her life was in order and she could finally relax. She closed her verdite eyes and breathed a sigh of satisfaction. Now, she was comfortable enough to fall asleep.

"Hey."

Her eyes shot open and a young man's face hovered over hers. His violet eyes blankly staring at her with his silver hair falling over his face.

"What's up?"

Sakura screamed, swiftly raising herself from the couch, only to have her forehead collide with his nose. He recoiled backwards, holding his nose as blood squeezed through the gaps of his fingers.

Sakura stumbled away from the couch until a hand covered her mouth and stifled her screams. An arm wrapped around her neck and squeezed lightly, a subtle warning to her to cease her movements. Her eyes darted to the man behind her, his red hair messy and lazy, brown eyes gazing down at her.

"Be quiet. You're giving me a headache," he stated impassively.

Another figure entered from the hallway. "Look at this place! We've never had this much furniture in the house before. It's kind of cramped though." He blew a blonde strand of hair out of his face and smiled impishly.

Sakura stared, bewildered that so many people had been inside of her house without her knowledge. Where could they have hidden themselves? Did they make a hole in the ceiling and live inside?!

A number of others invaded the living room and encircled her. She could barely breathe until the man behind her released her from his grip. Dropping to the floor, the men surrounding her fell silent as one man, piercings crowding his face, approached her.

"Greetings," he said, his face stoic and his ringed, grey eyes peering down at her small figure.

Yes, he did intimidate Sakura.

Standing up, she planted her bare feet firmly against the floor. "What are you doing in my house?" Feigning bravery was easy for her, unless they took it as a challenge.

"Actually, we've lived here much longer than you have - you only own it legally," a tall, tanned man responded.

"Are you squatters? Why don't you get a job and quit mooching off of people that work hard for the things they have." The words slipped from her lips before she could stop herself.

The pierced man grabbed the collar of her shirt and raised her body from the ground. Her hands instinctively wrapped around his with her nails digging into his flesh. His eyes, piercing and dark, focused solely on the girl he had in his grasp.

"Do not test me, mortal. I will not hesitate to kill you," he growled, his voice heavy.

"Lay down the heat, Pein. She's like a puppy - all bark and no bite," one of the boys standing against the wall called out.

Pein did not react to his words as he continued to stare into Sakura's eyes. Did she hear clearly? Did he call her 'mortal' as though he was not human? Was he a ghost or something?

"We're not ghosts," the redhead said, seemingly reading her thoughts, "we're demons."

Sakura scoffed, "Demons? Please, I'd be more likely to believe that you were a boy-band laying low in my ceiling than a group of demons."

Dropping her to the floor, Pein folded his arms behind his back and circled her, his eyes never leaving the girl. "I am being polite when I say that we want you to leave this house immediately."

"You're kidding. I've moved from my family's home _three_ stations away. I searched through the city, expecting to sleep on the streets. I'm not going to allow all of my luck to run out just because you want to stay here without an extra tenant. I'm going to pay the rent, I'm going to pay the utilities, and I'm going to stay here!" she yelled out.

The silver-haired boy that she had initially first met, walked around Pein and hunched over her. "Listen, little bitch. It might seem unfair or rude to you, but we've had this place for a long time. I suggest if you want stay your worthless life, you leave quickly because Pein isn't as tolerable as the rest of us." The arrogant smirk that crossed his face pissed Sakura off.

Her verdite eyes narrowed. "Fuck you. I'm not leaving this house... especially for a group of disgusting rats like you," she growled.

Wrong words.

He ground his teeth and raced over to her before the others could react appropriately. With both hands, he grabbed onto her neck, squeezing his thumbs into her trachea. Sakura struggled ferociously, he had lifted her above the ground with his superhuman strength, and she did her best to kick against his chest. Her nails pierced the flesh of his hands, blood seeping from the crescent wounds.

"You've fucked with the wrong guy, cunt!" he hissed, his recent words of 'being tolerable' lost in his rage.

Pein turned his gaze to his housemate, his face rather calm considering his hands were clasped tightly around her neck. "Hidan, that's enough," his voice just as cool as his physical demeanor.

"But she called us rats! Let's just kill her!" His voice shook as he focused on the young girl losing consciousness as he squeezed harder.

Pein's eyes darkened and he removed the partizan holstered against the inner lining of his cloth belt. Holding the butt of the ash-wood pole, he pointed the steel spearhead directly against the back of Hidan's skull - the sharpened edge pressed against his scalp.

"That is _enough_ ," his voice pressing on his final word, but his facial features remained composed and tolerant.

Hidan sputtered curse words under his breath and thought silently for a moment longer, pondering over his decision. Sakura's paling complexion attracted his attention and, with little regard to her near-death state, dropped her to the floor. Sakura pressed both hands to her throat and gasped for air. Coughing, blood pulsated in her ears, her lungs slowly regaining the air they had lost. Her eyes drifted to the man that almost took her life away and then to the leader staring smugly. She glared menacingly, but the man did not falter (how could a high school graduate actually intimidate someone so abhorrent anyway?).

"She's a livewire! Do you think the others will like her?" The blonde marched over to her, his hands on his hips, peering down at Sakura as though she was some sideshow attraction.

"I will admit that you are resilient," Pein stated, stepping closer to the crippled mass near his feet. "But I'm not going to allow a human to inhabit the same housing structure as my group."

"Why?" Sakura questioned, her voice strangled and hoarse.

Pein blinked, the mere question surprising him. _Why_? Watching as the girl stood from her spot on the floor, her vision locked onto the leader of this demon gang with eyes as sharp and dangerous as his own.

"I will not leave. I've struggled with my own demons, so real ones won't be much of a bother." She paused and bit her lip, adding, "Even though I don't believe that you really are." Logic, before all else.

Pein faced the redhead beside him who responded with a firm shake of his head. The situation that would arise from killing the girl was worth more trouble than he presently desired. He may be a demon, but he wasn't stupid.

He did not want _them_ up his ass about it anyway.

"Killing you would be senseless and I am not a fool." Pein eyed Hidan. "So I've decided to make a proclamation."

Sakura panted while raising an inquisitive brow. "I'll listen." She was, afterall, reasonable - even if it included _demon spawns_ that had intentionally harmed her.

"We reside in the house together-"

"I don't think so." Sakura swallowed hard as the sharpened tip of his partizan threatened to slice the curve of her neck. Her eyes followed the wooden pole to the man with a somber expression.

"Do not interrupt me," he told her. Lowering his weapon, he spoke once mor., "We live together, but remain isolated and separate - both parties focusing on their own tasks, understood?"

A vein pulsed irritably from her temple. How could this even happen? Would it be remotely fair to have bums living with her claiming to be demons from Hell? She shook her head slowly in disdain.

"I understand that you're stronger than me. I mean, a group of men like all of you, could easily subdue or kill me without much of an effort on your part - even if you had a handicap. But I'm not going to let this bullshit happen! I won't allow a group of guys hanging out in my house try to tell _me_ what to do! This lie that you're all supernatural creatures is insane. There is no such thing as the paranormal; there is no such thing as demons!" she spat out viciously, her knuckles bleached white from clenching her fists so tightly.

Without a word, Pein consulted with the group of men around him. They never spoke, but their facial expressions made it clear they were agreeing to something unknown to Sakura. She watched Pein carefully as he held his weapon close. Within seconds, he sliced apart the wooden floor, splintering wood through a six-foot diameter.

Darkness emanated from the hole and Sakura's curiosity had been piqued. Wisping through the living room, cold air wound around her, causing the girl to shiver uncontrollably. Echoes murmured through the room and Sakura finally shuffled closer. This wasn't a basement.

With her suspicions clearing, Sakura's eyes lay upon a dark mass filled with the ghastly forms of pillaged souls. Their moans, ranging decibels from mild, haunting whispers to ear-bursting screams, caused her own mind to stir with uncontrollable terror. She was paralyzed, unable to move a single limb to scurry away. Gazing down, she watched as one of the creatures swam through the swirling mass, reaching its decrepit hand out for her - its eyes similar like the black holes found in space and it's face writhed in eternal agony. Creeping closer, Sakura became entranced. She couldn't breathe - as though it began to slowly drain her life force.

Her breath hitched as a pair of large hands snatched her away quickly. Still dazed, she moved forward, only for her path to be cut off by Pein. He raised his partizan and pierced the lost soul through its decomposing flesh. It screamed out, holding on to the shaft with its bony fingers. He lifted his foot, pushing the creature off of his weapon, Pein's ringed eyes followed its body as it fell through the vortex. Holding his weapon upright, Pein tapped the butt of the partizan against the wood, covering the opening with newly-generated flooring.

Visibly shaken, Sakura hadn't realized that she could have easily had her life taken away _again_. On her waist, blue-tinted hands remained in place and she tilted her head upwards, finding sharp, pointed teeth framed by an amused smile.

"Got to be careful with those kind. They'll suck the soul out of you faster than you can say ' _bless you_ '." His tone was light and casual enough to Sakura for her to assume he had encountered those monsters often. He chuckled softly as Sakura escaped his arms and wandered towards the pierced man with his back facing her.

"Do you believe now?" Pein started, "Is this enough proof?"

Sakura didn't answer. Did he honestly need one anyway? After thoughtfully considering his approach, she had to admit that he did take some consideration that she would want to be left alone - especially from their endeavors. Approaching him carefully, Sakura gently placed her hand against his back, attracting his attention.

Turning, his face remained unchanged, waiting for whatever she had to say. The others waited, frozen in place - curious with this strange girl. She bowed her head, thinking of the appropriate response, and sucked in a breath, making contact with his eyes.

"I, reluctantly, agree to your offer. It's reasonable and fair, so it shouldn't be a problem." She presented her hand and showed her vow firmly on her face with a fiery, determined expression.

Glancing at her hand, then to her features, he shook once with affirmation. A cruel smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, but he quickly admonished any remote emotion inwardly to himself. This girl, even with her fragility as a human being, emanated a primal force he hadn't reckoned with in many, many years. The poor fool, however, had no idea what she had just gotten herself into. He may have allowed her residence, but with their presence known, she wouldn't reside there much longer.

In fact, he might wager on the duration of her stay.


	2. The Girl Who Lived in the Haunted House

Sakura yawned. Only four more days until classes officially started and she could begin the first step of her master plan of conquering a male-dominated field. The early-morning sun spilled through her blinds and she threw the covers to her feet. Standing up, she stretched her arms to the ceiling, her fingers elongating as she extended her stretch with tip-toes.

It had been a few days since her first interaction with her roommates, that she almost believed it to be a dream. Not a single word or a shadow had interfered with her schedule and, most importantly, not a single one of them had touched her. Sauntering to the bathroom, she leaned forward, examining the abrasions on her neck. To a passerby, it may seem as though she were a battered woman and it worried her to think that one of her professors could become suspicious. Would they really want such a weak, defenseless person to enroll in their program?

No, she had to remain confident. SOMS only enrolled the best of the best. If she faltered once, others would pounce on her like a fox on a rabbit.

She had left everything behind, after all. Family, friends, and respected colleagues. They would be disappointed if she lost faith in the promises she had so proudly stated. Returning to her bedroom, she searched for a fresh pair of clothes, yawning once more

Strange, she had thought she went to bed early last night.

OoOoOOoOoO

To everyone in town, she had been labeled as 'The Girl Who Lived In The Haunted House'. They didn't even bother to know her name, only their curiosity reached out to her, wondering if all the legends around town were actually true. She didn't bother fretting over it - even though the rumors were true in a sense. She'd probably appear even stranger if she admitted there were demons in her house.

Stockpiling groceries (and also picking up the best deals on practically-expired fish), Sakura became excited as she thought of fixing one of her favorite dishes - grilled shake! She would have to make a few preparations, but nonetheless, her tastebuds were already bursting for a delicious meal.

Wait, did Pein and the others have to eat too?

A pang of guilt dropped in her stomach as she realized that they hadn't eaten for so long. Not that she truly cared. They could fall back into Hell if the decision was brought to her. Perhaps they ate at night or... they had better not snacked on any of her food! She bought that with her own coin and she didn't feel so generous (especially with that silver-haired asshole that choked her).

Whilst deep in thought - and fuming over the potential feud between them - Sakura had carelessly stepped into the crosswalk while an equally careless driver sped through the light. A hand grappled onto her wrist and she yelled out angrily at the stranger holding her back.

"Watch it!" he said, pointing to the car speeding passed, the driver oblivious to the potential accident.

Sakura's ears burned with embarrassment. Wrenching away from his grasp, she hid her humiliation with the pink fringe framing her reddened face. "Thank you," she mumbled, waiting rather impatiently to cross the street.

As soon as the light changed, she sped away, attempting to block out the man pacing himself to stay beside her. His eyes darted back and forth between the path ahead of him and the cute girl while he battled internally to speak up.

"You're... um..." He stifled himself as soon as she brought her focus to him.

The fish inside the parcel of Sakura's shopping bag began to defrost in the warm, afternoon weather. "Yes?" Her annoyance prominently showing, although she hadn't intended to sound rude.

He pulled out a card from his waistcoat's pocket and shakily held it before her. "You're really cute and I work for the maid cafe near the mall." He swallowed hard. "My boss ordered me to find some girls to work the evening shift and-"

"No thanks. I don't take hand-outs," she responded flatly. Her legs moved forward, but the man tugged at her hand. "What? Can you not take a hint?" she asked irritably.

Well, it actually wasn't a hint. Moreso an obvious statement, but it didn't matter.

His eyes pleaded with her. "Please! I've been standing on this corner all day. He told me not to come back if I couldn't recruit one girl. This job is all I've got to pay my tuition and bills!" He dropped to his knees while passerbys stopped to scope the scene. "I'm begging you! Please, do this for me!"

Sakura released an exasperated sigh and pulled the pitiful man to his feet. "Stop that! Don't you have any dignity?!" she exclaimed, her face growing red again.

"I'm sorry, but I'm desperate," he murmured pathetically.

Stroking her chin, Sakura analyzed the potential outcome to his plea. She needed a job to continue paying rent (a scholarship assisted her college debts) and any other fees that may fall into her responsibility.

"How much?" she asked.

The man had wildly fell into a tangent of excuses and all of the meddlesome problems in his life, completely forgetting the actual reason he had pulled the young woman aside. "Huh?"

Sakura frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "The job! How much will I get paid?"

He settled down. "Quite a bit, actually. We have many visitors and the more requests you have, the more money you'll make."

Sakura contemplated the positives and negatives once more. She would be making a surplus of extra money that would be very beneficial, but she worried about her image with the university. Would they lose respect for her?

Would they even need to know? Maybe she'll work there temporarily until she finds a better job.

"Fine, I'll come with you." She looked down at her groceries. "But I need some ice for my fish."

OoOoOOoOoO

Pein walked ahead as the others stood protectively behind him. Turning to them, he raised his hand - an action to keep them from following him in.

"I'll be fine. Stay here," he instructed.

Without another thought, Pein quickly made his entrance into the room. A blinding light burned at his eyes, causing him to turn away to ease his discomfort. Slowly, his vision adjusted, his eyes fell to the large table surrounded by them.

They sat around complacently, eyeing him with smug expressions, causing his body to fill with an immense feeling of hatred directed towards them. A maelstrom of threats poured from his mind, laying just behind his lips. Pein had to use all of his power to retain a steady, unperturbed demeanor while crossing the floor. Sitting down, he rasped his knuckles against the table.

"Pein, it's been a long time. How have you been?" The man sitting at the head of the table smiled warmly.

"Please, pardon me, when I say that I don't want to listen to irrelevant bullshit. Let's get on to actual business," he answered calmly.

The hand resting underneath the man's chin fell to the table in a manner so fluid, Pein had realized his offensive words had hit a nerve.

Good.

"Very well, business then." The man's voice taut with a feigned politeness. "Are things going well wrangling-"

"We are doing our best, but we cannot say that it is going smoothly." Pein's eyes drifted to the other faces around the table. "This was supposed to be your task afterall," he added.

Nodding, the man's black bangs shaded his eyes as he peered down at the crystal glass filled with a honey-colored liquid. "Yes, something important came up. I do apologize." Taking the drink, he sipped gingerly.

"Anything else that I need to know of?" Pein asked.

In almost an instant, the man's eyes darkened with stifled rage. Pein hadn't noticed the change, but sensed the air thicken as he settled the glass onto the table. "Yes, there is." Weaving his fingers together, he stiffened his posture, appearing taller than the demon sitting opposite of him. "The ratio between humans born and dying has become dangerously unbalanced. Deaths are drastically outweighing their total births around the Earth."

"A war has just ended between a few feuding countries. I cannot hinder my duties just because you're not doing your job," Pein replied diplomatically.

"My angels and I are performing acts against your kind. We have been busy shutting the gate - that you so happily opened, mind you - and I, personally, have lost many soldiers due to your negligence."

Pein sighed heavily, "Opening the gate did not upset the balance between human births and deaths. If you hadn't noticed, we have also been at work clearing away some of our nastier kind, so we could stop your incessant complaining. I am not going to redirect my tasks because of your poor leadership. Demons are stronger in Hell - its their home - and you should know that by now.

"Also, how can you expect them to act accordingly when we have to monitor our own movements? If your 'Master' could loosen the chains, we could work out a concordat that will please everyone."

The man stood from his seat, his hands still firmly planted against the table's surface. Once again, his thoughtful silence caused Pein's mind to wander.

Originally, demons were given the power over death, disease, ill-will, and catastrophic events to hurdle the development of the newly-created humans. It had been set forth by the Master to further their growing faith and give them the courage to climb over every obstacle that had blocked their path to righteousness.

Angels wielded the power of giving life, creating love, and everything good in the world. They were also created for the sole purpose of following the Master's orders and spreading this message to the humans. After religion slowly subsided and many humans lost faith or began the worship of false gods, the Master's powers weakened and prompted all attention to the angels. The Master favored their beauty and unwavering obedience than that of the uncontrollable 'abominations' the demons came to be perceived as. With great power, the Master stripped the demons of their abilities, excluding death, and chose a predecessor to execute a limited amount of pain and devastation upon the humans.

The Master then banished the demons out of paradise and locked millions inside of the Earth's core. Only demons, born after the events of their banishment, were spared, but often forced to follow rules placed by the Master's own hand. If any demons strayed from the Master's direct order, the creature had the choice of being banished to Earth's core or destroyed. The rest that escaped the fate of imprisonment fled to Hell under the watchful eye of the realm's leader. Now residing there, the intelligent demons continue their work while the others lumber around aimlessly.

"I, honestly, don't believe your word. Why should I, really? A lowly demon can lie straight to the face of an angel without a fleck of guilt upon its hideous face." He ambled away from the table, standing behind Pein's chair with eyes boring holes into the back of his skull.

Pein resisted the urge to attack him. He continued to face forward, his features indifferent, not allowing any of the other angels an opportunity to observe his anger rising above its initial level of 'pissed off'. "I never expected you to believe me. Truthfully, the thought never reached my mind, but I suppose it doesn't matter whether I'm telling the truth or lying. A demon's a demon to you and even I can't change that."

"I'm warning you, Pein. If the humans continue to lose more than they are intended to by this year's end, I will not hesitate to inform the Master about you and your group of rejects, understand?" His voice had eerily fallen from the silvery, pleasant tone he had originally spoken with to the hollow whisper near Pein's ear.

"What do you expect me to do? Allow you to kill my brothers and sisters?"

"Brothers and sisters? How absurd. Demons don't have connections with their own kind. You're barbaric, merciless monsters. Think of it as a compliment when I say you're one of the least fitting of that cursed name you were born into."

Jerking his head back, Pein peered over his shoulder, his eyes glowering at the smirking angel staring arrogantly down. Standing from his chair, Pein strode away to the door.

"No farewell or good fortune?" The man showed false hurt in his eyes and pouted.

"Fuck off," Pein snarled, slamming the door.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura inhaled the aroma of the broiled fish and sighed happily. Finishing with the miso soup, she poured herself a bowl and placed the salmon onto her plate.

Before her 'interview', Naruto, the man that caught her from passing through the crosswalk, presented her to his boss. He ogled her body, muttering to himself and tugged at the collar of his button-up shirt. Within minutes, and a few measurements, she received an energetic handshake from her new boss. Sakura was uncertain of the man named Jiraiya. He was awfully strange and she couldn't help, but compare him to a deviant or pervert. Hell, the man was the owner of a maid cafe. Regardless of her judgement, she had a job and a well-paying one too.

Ready to take a bite, she stalled, watching as her plate vibrated against the surface of the table, moving slowly away from her. She kept it in place until the vibrations ceased. Waiting a moment longer, she shrugged it off as a mild earthquake. It happened so often, she could barely react the same as a tourist or new resident.

Challenging her, the tremors returned with incredible force. Dishes fell from the cabinet and her precious dinner splattered onto the linoleum before she could catch it. Sakura cursed loudly and moved to the living room, retrieving a broom to sweep the shattered pieces of glass.

Her hand grasped for the broom's handle, but lost her attention as she watched in awe as her heavy furniture began to move steadily with the vibrations. A sick feeling fell into her abdomen and Sakura followed the normal protocol for earthquakes. Running under her table, she held her hands over her head and ducked to the floor. As the quaking waves grew stronger, Sakura's stomach continued its acrobatics.

Suddenly, smoke filled her nostrils. Sakura turned to the stove, but she knew she had turned it off. The floorboards creaked and moaned until the unknown force underneath burst through, appearing as a swirling entity of smoke. Banging her head against the bottom of the table, Sakura rushed out of the living room and sprinted to her front door.

But it was too fast for her, its arm stretching and grabbing hold of her. Stretching open its incredibly large mouth, it swallowed the girl, leaving her to succumb to its deadly smoke.

She coughed uncontrollably, bringing her hands to shield her mouth and nose, but her actions were futile. Her heart pounded in her chest as Sakura tried to retain consciousness. With the smoke filling her lungs, it had become impossible to bear much longer. With her eyelids drooping and her head rocking forward, she could only make out the sound of muffled yelling beyond the whirlwind of smoke around her. Feeling something tugging forcefully at her legs, she sluggishly resisted, kicking her feet from its grasp.

Was she about to die?

Pein wrapped his hands around Sakura's ankles again and pulled with all of his strength. The creature howled and lashed out, attempting to pull Pein inside of its body as well. Hidan, removing his scythe from the strap upon his back, slashed at the demon's torso immediately after Pein retrieved Sakura. Slicing the smoke entity in half, it cried out with a shrill, blood-chilling scream. With another slice from Hidan's scythe, the creature dissipated.

"Come on, wake up." Pein tapped two fingers against Sakura's cheek, but received no response.

"Is she alive?" the blonde asked, kneeling down.

"Yes, but that enenra did enough damage." Pein turned to one of the men standing in the group. "Sasori."

The redhead came forward and knelt down while Pein held onto the unconscious girl. With his hand hovering over her, his fingers danced in circular motions, slowly rising upward. He continued his work fervently, his hand rising and falling above the girl's chest. His eyes trailed to her lips as smoke slowly escaped from her lungs and drifted through the air around them, a small cloud forming and disappearing just as the creature had. He stood away as Sakura coughed, color rushing back to her face. She looked from underneath her lashes, catching glimpses of the demons around her and closed her eyes once more.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did you screw up, Sasori?" the blonde asked, concerned.

"Of course not, idiot," Sasori responded, insulted by his ignorance.

Pein held her in his arms and got to his feet. "She's just exhausted. Demons like that enenra cause great harm to humans. We're lucky we got here in time." He walked to the stairs, carrying her to her bedroom.

Hidan furrowed his brow. "Why should we care if she died? It's not our problem." He followed his leader upstairs.

Pein nestled Sakura onto her bed and turned his attention to his fellow colleagues. "It is very important that we take great care to protect her."

"What are you trying to say?" The blue-skinned man questioned.

Dropping his ringed eyes to the floor, Pein confessed to the others of his meeting, "Indra has threatened to speak with the Master if we do not ration our deaths."

The other men in the room loudly opposed this. "Why the fuck should we have to do anything he says?! He isn't our leader and he has no right telling us what to do! Fuck him and his stupid shit!" Hidan cursed, his eyes flashing with rage.

"Hidan's right! Why is Indra threatening us? There are thousands of angels and only a small number of demons that actually have the power over humans' deaths. Why would we need to ration?" the blonde asked, confused by the entire situation.

"Let me try and explain, Deidara. Apparently, the angels have been using most of their forces trying to close the gate I had opened years ago. Indra has arranged a very small group to continue giving life, but they are struggling. I understand that it isn't fair, but we must follow his instructions." He faced Hidan. "Since we have our new guest, we must make sure that she is safe."

"It's fucking stupid. I hate this," Hidan replied bitterly.

"Would you like Indra to request a visit? We need to make sacrifices and it will only be for a short period of time. Gain some patience, Hidan," Pein stated flatly.

The silver-haired demon cursed under his breath and eyed the girl sleeping. "She shouldn't be here."

"Yes, I know. I will speak with her once she awakens."

OoOoOOoOoO

Indra climbed the golden steps leading to a pair of large, ornate doors decorated with fine jewels and plated with mixtures of gold and silver. Pushing them open with his enhanced strength, he bowed on his knee to the person sitting yards away.

"Hello, Master," he greeted.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura's eyes were blinded as the sun poured through her bedroom window. She rubbed at them viciously, easing the pain. Squinting, she rose from the bed, greeted by Pein leaning against the door.

"Are you well?" he asked.

She still struggled to breathe, but overall, she could not have felt better than earlier. Afterall, she would have died from asphyxiation if they hadn't come to her rescue. "I'm fine."

Pein unfolded his arms and crossed the room towards her - his gaze just as stony as the day he had introduced himself. "It is not safe for you here, Sakura."

"I know that," she answered softly.

"Then it is in your best interest that I tell you to leave. I do not wish to bring you any more harm than you have already succumbed to and-" He was silenced as Sakura raised her hand.

"I know this place is full of demons and that there are definitely a few that wouldn't mind killing me, but I'm not going to pack up all of my shit and leave, okay? I have no where else to go and I'll be damned if I'm going to retreat back home labelled as a failure. I earned this." Her voice was raspy and hoarse.

Pein sighed heavily. "You would lose your life over something so petty?"

To Sakura, this house was her first investment and it was the source of her pride. And, what Pein was unaware of, was the fact that Sakura could not have her mind so easily changed and her pride so easily dismantled by passive-agressive threats. If she died, she would rather die in the home she worked hard for than to run away leaving herself to wonder over the 'what ifs' - her mind just did not work that way. Yes, she was stubborn. Yes, it could be problematic at times.

But it was her choice overall and she decided to stay.

"Yeah, I would."

He frowned, the lines around his mouth deepening. "Fine, but don't expect today's visitor to be the last one. We may not kill you, but they certainly won't hesitate." His hand grasped the door's handle. "And there will be times that we cannot come to your rescue. You will die."

"I've already told you that I understand. Maybe..." She chewed on her bottom lip as the man faced her, his posture stiff and impatient. "I'll learn to defend myself in those circumstances." Her tone came off unsure and Pein refrained from laughing; she certainly made things interesting - even if she was a liability.

"Let me know if your school has courses under Demonology," he said in a half-mocking tone.

Once Pein left the room, he growled under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was positive that he had her in the palm of his hand, but she threw him for a loop. He thought that due to today's incident, she would surely pack her bags and leave.

"Stubborn little ass," he muttered.

OoOoOOoOoO

It was the opening day of classes and Sakura was running late. She awoke without an alarm and slept for an extra hour causing her to miss the bus. Running through the crowd and crosswalks, she reached her first class drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, Sakura snatched a seat in the back of the room to avoid any potential stares.

As her professor introduced herself to the class, Sakura's mind wandered to that morning. She had specifically remembered setting an alarm the night before, but somehow she slept through it. That hadn't happened before. Could her roommates have something to do with it? It must have been some sort of revenge plot since she decided to stay.

She began copying the notes in her notebook as the professor wrote on the dry-erase board. She listened intently and focused her full attention on the class - brushing away the rest of her thoughts. In spite of her morning, she was at the university of her dreams. They would have to try a lot harder to get her to leave.

The rest of the day proceeded smoothly and Sakura rode the final bus home with all of her new assignments. With her fingers grazing the cold, metal doorknob, she could hear muffled voices inside.

... we need to try again...

... catch it... he...

... complete the task...

Sakura opened the door, snagging the attention of her housemates. She gave them a stiff smile and wandered into the kitchen, ready for a quick dinner. The initial deal she agreed to was to mind her own business and Pein and his goons would do the same. Grabbing a chilled bottle of water and some cold pizza, she started for the table to read over her medical textbook. The others continued to talk amongst themselves within earshot of the girl.

"Indra wanted this done and he wanted it done quickly. I think we should attempt it once more," the blue-skinned man said with a shrug.

Sasori agreed, "He's growing impatient. We should have finished this months ago, Pein."

Pein gritted his teeth and jerked his head to the side. "I know that."

Sakura, although focusing on her work, listened to their conversation. What were they speaking about? Who was this Indra and what did he want? Flipping to the next page, long, blonde hair draped over her eyes. Tearing her attention away, she found herself with one of the demons leaning over her, watching her curiously with a friendly smile.

"What are you doing?" he asked innocently.

Rolling her eyes, she flipped his hair away and attempted to read through the first paragraph. "I'm working on an assignment for my anatomy course," she answered.

"Is this that school thing you were talking about? College, right?" His bright, blue eyes shifted to her canvas schoolbag. Without any hesitation, he began sifting through her belongings.

"Hey! Stop that!" She promptly slapped his hands away and snatched up her bag. "What are you doing bothering me? Didn't Pein send out a memo that you aren't supposed to? You know - I do my business, you do yours?"

Sasori, entering the kitchen after overhearing their conversation, pulled the blonde away. "Come now, Deidara. Do not make me resort to violence. Leave the little girl alone."

"You don't look that much older than me," Sakura muttered under her breath.

"I'm hundreds of years old, Sakura. And don't mutter, it's rude," Sasori retorted, bringing Deidara together with the group.

Sakura rolled her eyes again and shook her head. Taking a bite of her pizza slice, she started on her first assignment. A simple, fill-in-the-blank worksheet that didn't challenge her, leaving her to finish it in minutes after skimming a few pages and any other questions she had already knew from memory. The courses she enrolled in for this semester were pretty basic and were followed with intermediate and advanced lessons that she would be taking for a consecutive four years. By next year, she could register for classes that suited her exact career goals and, hopefully, have enough credentials to enter her medical courses.

"That pizza looks good," Deidara whispered.

Sasori glanced over to the girl then slapped his teammate upside the head. "Shut up and pay attention."

"Alright, if you all seemed to have agreed then, we'll form a reconnaissance and finish our mission," Pein decided.

The tall, tanned man with stitches sewn over his limbs and mouth raised his hand. "I have a suggestion." He beckoned Pein to follow him to a private area of the house.

As they stood near the bathroom's opening, Pein crossed his arms. "What is it, Kakuzu?"

"This may sound out of sorts, but what about the girl?"

"What about Sakura?" Pein pressed.

"Why don't we bring her with us? Higher entities are instinctively attracted to mortals," he explained.

Pein frowned. "That would be impossible. The girl would never agree to it." He scoped Sakura around the corner as she wrote fervently on her notebook paper. "Although that plan would be worth attempting." If he could stop Indra from breathing down his neck, he would jump on any opportunity for a faster resolution.

Returning to the family room, Pein quietly explained Kakuzu's suggestion and the others agreed whole-heartedly. The sooner Indra was off their case, the better. Pein approached Sakura, breaking her concentration.

"Yes?" she asked, agitated.

"I would like to ask for a favor," he started.

Sakura eyed him warily. What could he possibly want with her if he was strong enough to tear apart another demon?

Bending down, Pein's eyes leveled with hers. "I want to bring you with us to Hell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so next Saturday, the new chapter will be up. :) If you like it, please tell me what you think! Thank you!


	3. Go To Hell!

Sakura laughed until her chest ached, her cheeks growing sore. "What a stupid thing to say!" she boasted through subsiding giggles. She shook her head and rolled the mechanical pencil around her fingers, her lips curved into a chirpy grin.

Pein didn't find her reaction amusing. "Are you refusing?"

"Do birds lay eggs?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, they do," Deidara answered, matter-of-fact. It puzzled him that even a mortal like her didn't know that. And she was smart enough to go to college?

Sakura rolled her eyes at him then returned her attention back to Pein. "Yes, I'm saying 'no'. Why would you even ask that?"

"We're searching for someone and it would be in our best interest if we had a mortal with us," Kakuzu shared.

Sakura's expression dulled. "You're joking, right? Did you forget that I wasn't supposed to be involved with any of your antics?"

"It's an important mission for us, hm! If we don't find-" Deidara's sentence was cut short as Sasori slapped his hand to the boy's mouth.

Sge rested her chin on her hand. "You want me to help yet you won't even disclose information to me."

"You already gave us your answer. What would we gain by explaining our situation?" Pein retorted.

Sakura nodded, "Touche." However, she was curious about their mission.

Hidan carded his fingers through his hair, groaning loudly. "What are we going to do then? It'll take us forever to find him. If the scouts haven't then how do you expect us to fucking do it?" On every occasion they reported in, the scouts' information seemed different each time.

"I'll explain everything to Indra and we'll be fine. While I'm gone, you can cross through and separate," Pein said.

Sasori wasn't convinced, nor thrilled with his orders. "What if he isn't even in Hell? What if he actually escaped into the mortal world?"

"Impossible! He never had the power to do such a thing!" Kakuzu denied.

"But what if he did? Can you even imagine how fruitless our efforts would be? We'd never find him," Sasori argued heatedly.

Sakura's curiosity was piqued. Who were they searching for? Who was Indra?! She was hanging off the edge of her chair, waiting to hear more. Pein, noticing her intrigued expression, smirked. Perhaps he could sway her with some intel. She wasn't daft, but if they teased her enough, there was a high probability of her going along with them.

"Sakura, how would you resolve our dilemma?" he inquired.

His comrades were surprised. Were they witnessing their leader seeking advice from a mortal?

She wasn't prepared to hear Pein asking for a suggestion. "I told you that I wasn't going along with-"

"I understand that, but that doesn't inhibit me from asking," he responded.

The men realized Pein's intention and quickly adapted to his method. "Yes, Sakura, you're a very intelligent human. What would you decide?" Sasori questioned.

Sakura was flattered and openly displayed her happiness from his compliment. "Well, I would need more information."

She was falling for it. If they could just hook her, she wouldn't hesitate joining their group. Pein glanced at his partners, signifying the advancement. Sitting at the second, and only, chair left at the table, he folded his hands in his lap. "We were given a mission by an angel named Indra. He's a leader and protector of Heaven, but has been given reign over our tasks."

"Indra is an angel?" she resounded, stroking her chin. "And you're under his command?"

"That's correct. As for the mission, we've been ordered to recapture a fallen angel that escaped from Heaven's gates. Originally, he was ordered to guard Heaven's gates, but tore away from his duties. He fought through a wall of his allies, eluding his former friends by descending through a makeshift portal leading into the heart of Hell."

"Wait, did you say a makeshift portal? You mean like the one underneath the house or what?" She shuddered as her mind imagined the swirling vortex, filled with those dead, life-sucking creatures.

Deidara joined the conversation. "Yeah! Pein made both of them, but Indra doesn't know about the one underneath the house!" He stuck out his tongue playfully. "Since angels don't often visit the Earth, we have the place to ourselves!"

"Who is this fallen angel?"

"He was given the name 'Sasuke'. Indra claims that his presence in Hell could compromise the stability between both realms. Sasuke is a strong angel and, without his defenses, the angels are losing an important asset to their arsenal," Pein finished.

Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion. "Why would angels need an arsenal? I only assumed that everything would be peaceful after you died."

"Y'see, there are some demons that really want to kill all of you. They'd do anything to even breathe the Earth's air. The only wall of defense that's protecting you mortals are the angels," Deidara answered.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and smiled wryly. "Obviously they're not doing a good job," she remarked, trailing to each entity inside her kitchen.

Pein contained the chuckle forming in his throat. She was quite amusing with her smartass comments. "We're not the usual demons that are often depicted in human literature and art."

"Then what are you?"

"It's complex," he stated.

"I'm listening."

Pein shook his head. "Let's return to the original subject. What are your thoughts on capturing our target?"

"I don't know. When I think of Hell, I just think of a barren landscape full of undead or moaning corpses - lots of fire too. I know that's probably incorrect, but that's only my assumption."

"Hell is constructed with ten tiers - every ring different from the others in their forms of punishment. In Limbo, the land stretches beyond normal sight, an endless line of damned souls awaiting their fate from the entity that judges over their sins and that's only the first level," Sasori responded flatly, "So, yes, you're incorrect."

Sakura pursed her lips, glaring at the redhead. "Like I was supposed to know that? Sorry, I didn't take all of the mandatory Geographical Studies of Hell courses in high school."

"The portal that Sasuke entered was a direct opening into the deepest depths of Hell. Most souls barely even enter through the last tier, so it's empty of the punished. If my hypothesis is correct, he's most likely searching for someone that converges fallen angels into powerful demons," Pein explained.

"Why would he want to become a demon anyway? Isn't it paradise in Heaven?" she wondered aloud.

"A lot of wanderers would say that, but they aren't the ones living there. Angels are given a task to serve for the rest of their immortal lives. To be honest, any individual would go mad performing the same, miniscule tasks everyday forever. He was envious. Now, we're ordered to deliver him back to Heaven."

Sakura accepted his answer. "It wouldn't be too dangerous for you, right? I mean, you'll be in Hell with other demons like you."

"On the contrary, we are subjects of their anger just as angels and humans are. We're earth-dwelling demons... we can freely come and leave as we please since we serve under Heaven's leader. They are trapped inside that bloody prison like caged animals."

Sakura raised a brow. "Is that such a bad thing? You just said a minute ago that a lot of the demons wanted to kill humans." Were they purposely trying to confuse her?

"Trust me, Sakura, it's very complicated and we don't have a lot of time to explain," Pein replied earnestly.

She sat thoughtfully for several minutes. "What... would I have to do exactly?"

Hook. Line. And sinker. "You'll act as a magnet. Unsurprisingly, angels are attracted to the souls of living humans. It's happened only a handful of times, but when a human crosses through Hell's gate, angels are often intrigued. Also, it's in their job description - they're meant to protect you, so naturally they'll come forward."

"But would I be targeted by demons, as well?"

Pein hesitated. "You may receive some unsolicited attention, but we're stronger in our domain. We'll protect you, I swear on that."

She tapped the butt-end of her mechanical pencil against her temple. "Okay, so I do this and you get your guy... What do I get in return?"

"Bargaining? Are you really going to stoop to such indecent measures?" Sasori responded, irritated.

"Have a heart, Sakura! You're so inhuman to ask for something in return after performing a good deed!" Deidara wailed.

Sakura laughed dryly. "And you would know anything about being human?"

"We'll decide on the bargain later. Do you accept?" Pein asked.

Sighing, Sakura closed her notebook and stared solemnly at the man sitting beside her. "I'll do it."

OoOoOOoOoO

As the familiar hissing echoes rang in her ears, Sakura shut her eyes tightly and swallowed the lump in her throat. Pein glanced at her momentarily then to his men. "We'll remain in a group. Don't forget common protocal and remain on the defensive. Sasuke is our priority, but Sakura's safety is just so." He wrapped his arm around her body, his grip firm. "Let's go."

"Hold your breath, Sakura," Sasori instructed, following after the others into the vortex.

She inhaled a long, deep breath as Pein jumped through the portal. The cold air wrapped around her body. Bony hands grabbed onto her, tugging at her hair and clothes. She was free-falling, but the feeling was like sliding through a narrow tunnel. More hands groped her, pulling her away from Pein. A small, fearful yelp escaped her throat and Pein pulled her back to his side. She was afraid, but in a sense that was far from how she had ever felt before. It was different from the times she had overslept, was caught in a lie, or even a week ago when she had left her suitcase at the university.

It was true fear.

"You're doing very well," Pein assured. "Keep your eyes closed. We're almost to Limbo."

Sakura nodded her head, calming down. Her lungs begged for oxygen, but she forced herself to keep on. Closing in on their destination, Sakura thought of how ridiculous this all was. She was not one to believe in demons and the afterlife, but here she was, entering into Hell's first tier. Wouldn't this be quite the tale - maybe she could become an author instead?

Once her feet made contact with the ground, she breathed through her open mouth, collecting as much air in her lungs as she could. The others crowded around as Pein released her.

"Welcome to Hell, Sakura," Deidara chortled happily. "Don't forget to wipe your feet!"

She scoped the area: jagged rocks, dark skies, and a long line of souls awaiting their punishments. "I see you tidied up the place for me," she deadpanned. Playing the part with humor helped her nerves.

"Jokes aside, we have to meet Karin to access the lower tiers. It won't take dreadfully long, but it can get dangerous if we waste time standing around." Pein led the group towards two, large stone pillars that started the line of walking corpses.

"What, I mean, who is Karin?" Sakura asked, staying towards the center of the group.

The blue-skinned man looked down at her, "She's a bitch, but she does her work well. She guides the dead towards their fate."

"She doesn't decide?" she asked.

"Nah, that's Juugo's job. You don't want to mess with him, especially when he's in a bad mood," he answered.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, err," she trailed off, his name unknown to her.

He grinned, displaying the jagged set of teeth rooted in his mouth. "It's Kisame."

"Thanks, Kisame," she stated.

To her surprise, a young woman with glasses stood idly inbetween the massive pillars. Her magenta, asymmetrical hair fell passed her shoulders and she held an unenthused look as their group approached her.

"What is it, Pein? Humans aren't dying less just because you're here wasting my time," she spouted angrily.

"We need access to the lower tiers."

She casually prodded a sharpened rod at one of the bodies, leaving it to scream out. "What for?"

"Just retrieving something for Indra-"

"Still serving as that bastard's lackeys?" She clicked her tongue. "You have zero respect from me." Karin often got lost in conversation - even while she made it appear that she didn't like the attention.

"Such a shame. Can we get through?"

She frowned then eyed the line of dead over the mounds. "Fine, hurry up." As the group walked past, she noticed the small head full of pink hair. "Wait, what's that? She's not dead!"

Pein grabbed onto Sakura. "She's here to assist us in our endeavors."

She pointed at the human girl, a look of disgust on her face. "Oh yeah? Did you get permission for that?"

Deidara shrugged his shoulders. "You want to go ask Indra yourself?"

Karin looked daggers at the blonde smirking at her. "Idiot! Just go!" She sidled a few steps away, giving them a small space to travel one-by-one. "Make it quick. My line's not getting any shorter!"

"You only have an eternity, Karin. It's best to enjoy it," Kisame said, slapping her on the back, knocking her forward.

Sakura's hands grappled onto the hem of Pein's léine. He looked over his shoulder, surprised, but allowed her the small comfort. It was visible that she felt uneasy, but what human being wouldn't be? In present-day, a large population of humans didn't even think Hell existed.

Walking down a steep slope, they shuffled through the growing debris of splintered wood and broken stone that once may have been a monument. Beyond it, they approached a pit, dark and cold. Sakura's stomach curled as she looked down, unable to see anything through to the other side.

"What is that?" Goosebumps formed on her skin as she imagined the countless number of creatures that could be lurking inside.

"It's the easiest way to get through the tiers," Pein replied.

Sasori dipped his head low. "With this, we won't have to step through all ten circles and endanger you to any rogue or hungry demons."

"Where does it lead to?" she questioned, her fear rising. She hated heights.

"It's a shortcut. Through this, we may enter any portion of Hell much faster than travelling by foot. Since our mission is to find Sasuke, we'll meet with Orochimaru," Pein said, taking a step towards the pit.

"Orochimaru?"

"He's known notoriously for his inane experiments. In the last three centuries, he's changed his tests, primarily focusing on transitioning fallen angels into demons."

Hidan cracked his knuckles, knocking shoulders with his allies around him. "Enough shit! Come on, I want to get this over with!"

In an instant, flames bursted from the pit, the force blowing Sakura's hair back. Pein pushed the girl towards the others hastily to avoid harm. Falling into the hands of Deidara, she felt her heart leap into her throat. The sound of a large animal burrowing underground rocked the earth below their feet, piles of old bones and rubble toppling down. Pein delayed any action as the creature tunneling through the ground changed course, moving to each party until it returned to the pit. Through the flames, a massive snake reared its head, launching itself towards them without provocation.

Pein's group scattered across the landscape causing the snake to crash into the solid ground, sending large mounds of earth flying. Deidara held Sakura close, landing on his feet a safe distance away. The two watched as a silhouette appeared atop of the snake's head, barely visible.

"Is that Orochimaru?" Sakura asked.

Deidara shook his head, squinting. "No, it isn't."

With the dust settling, his identity finally revealed. He was a young man, coming across as someone not much older than Sakura. His left foot held his weight as he was perched on the reptile's head.

"Sasuke, we have come on orders of Indra. We are taking you back to your realm," Pein addressed.

Brushing his bangs away from his face, Sasuke peered down at their leader. "And spend the rest of my eternal life slaving away over such a dull task? Why should I be forced to guard over the lives of a group of mortals? I'm so much more than that."

"Are you shitting out of your mouth? Have you stopped and looked around for a minute, you fuckin' idiot? Hell isn't a vacation spot," Hidan spat.

Sasuke tilted his head back to stare in his direction. "In Hell, at least I don't have to follow rules. Shouldn't you feel the same way?" He smirked. "Oh, that's right. You're one of those kinds of demons... The kind that are immediately thrown under Indra's command."

"Shut your goddamn mouth!"

Sakura sat silently, her arms coiled around Deidara's frame. She didn't know anything about this guy, but he certainly had the image of an angel - truly beautiful. But that snake was another story. Bigger than the size of the largest skyscraper in Konoha, it didn't have to prove how menacing it was. Would they be able to fight it?

She clutched Deidara tighter as it's yellow, reptilian eyes made contact with hers. "What's this? A human in Hell?" Its voice rumbled from its throat, shaking the ground. "I haven't seen one in ages."

"I could sense her along with the others," Sasuke replied. "That's why I told you to come with me, Master Orochimaru."

The snake was Orochimaru?!

It laughed, "Interesting! Very interesting!" Sasuke jumped from its head as the monster slowly changed forms.

Sakura blinked, watching in awe as the snake receded in size, taking the shape of an adult human. His pale skin contrasted greatly with his dark hair, but the cold-blooded traits of his original form remained in his slitted eyes.

"Tell me, little girl. What does it feel like? Is your body burdened by the weight of this place? What intentions could you possibly have for coming here?" he asked, deeply intrigued.

Pein directed the spearhead of his partizan to the snake demon. "Leave now or I'll be forced to take you down," he threatened.

Orochimaru smiled coyly. "Such big words for one of Heaven's puppets." Settling his gaze on Sakura again, his smile widened, exposing his fangs. "I'm just curious of our new guest. The knowledge her body holds would be very beneficial to obtain."

"What do you mean?" she asked him.

"Curiosity is such a sufferable thing. You crave knowledge from everything you don't understand. Humans acquired it from us, so you may possibly relate to me." His tongue ran across his lips. "How I'd love to slice you open and examine your body."

Her heart sank in her chest, the rest of her body trembling. Stepping one foot forward, he cocked his head, his eyes lusting for a new specimen to study.

Pein ran forward, ready to stab his partizan through Orochimaru's back. To his dismay, Sasuke protected his master, blocking Pein's attack with his own sword. Jumping back, Pein was offput by Sasuke's enhanced speed. The kid had been in Hell for a long time, so the effects should have been hindering his abilities and slowing his movements.

Noticing their leader's bemused countenance, Orochimaru snickered while a pompous smile formed on his face.

"The desires of demons are not solely ours. Sasuke came to me of his own free will, wishing for the power and liberation that Hell provides." His chuckling transformed into a mockingly loud cackle as Sasuke's ashen skin steadily darkened. Red marked his obsidien eyes, the darkness of black substituting the sclera.

"This is what we get for taking our time," Sasori muttered, disgusted by the angel's corrupted form.

Orochimaru's shoulders shook as his laughter became manic. "I gave him what he wanted! I made him just as we are." Large, flesh-covered wings burst from Sasuke's shoulder blades, circulating a strong wind as they beat fervently. "I've never come across something so remarkable. To have a willing subject approach me and respect me as a master - and an angel at that - what a glorious turn of events!"

Pein whipped his head to his comrades. "Sasori and Kisame, stay with me. The rest protect Sakura from Orochimaru!" He lunged, slashing at his target. Sasuke easily deflected it, his movements a blur to any human eye.

Transforming back into his snake form, Orochimaru unhinged his jaw, ready to capture Sakura inside. Jumping up with the girl in his grasp, Deidara removed a pack of clay from his waist pouch. Hurling it down, the clay exploded on contact, clouds of dust forming. Using it as cover, Deidara slipped away, sprinting to an area he deemed safe enough for the girl.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded.

Deidara smiled at her reassuringly. "You'll be safe. I swear on that, hm." She nabbed at his cloak, but he moved too quickly, leaving her hand to catch air.

This was too much. Blood pulsed in her ears, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't dare tear her sight away from Deidara, the blonde returning to the battlefield.

Clay molded easily around his hands, throwing it directly against Orochimaru's head, the piece exploding. The triumphant smile curving his lips fell as Orochimaru presented himself unscathed, not a single sign of damage on his scales.

"Try again, boy! Try as much as you'd like!" Orochimaru boomed, lunging.

Hidan swung his scythe against Orochimaru's hardened skin, cutting into him. As he wrenched it away, expecting blood to spill from the wound, Hidan faltered at the sight of his attack's lack of results. Moving back, he turned to Kakuzu, "This isn't working. Fuck, that asshole must have done something!" His scythe could cut through anything, so why wasn't it effective?!

Kakuzu unstitched his arms, thousands of tendrils whipping across Orochimaru's face, gaining his attention. "Just keep on, Hidan. I'm your cover, so do as you're told." He leapt away as Orochimaru attempted to grab him with his tongue.

Sakura brought her knees to her chest, pinching at her arms. Wake up! Wake up! Watching them couldn't be real. She was just sleeping!

On the other end of the battlefield, Sasuke slashed at his foes, forcing Kisame and Pein back. Indra wanted him alive, so they had to resort to a physical fight. With Orochimaru's power, he was stronger and faster compared to the other angels that fought in Hell. If they came too close, his wings lashed at them, making his capture nearly impossible.

Kisame's heavy sword crashed through each strike, leaving indentations in the ground. With another strike directed his way, he propelled his sword back and hammered it against Sasuke's, the boy struggling with the immense weight. Opened to attack, Pein pierced his wings, immoblizing them.

Sakura covered her ears, hearing the sharp cry from the young angel. Her eyes darted around apprehensively, noting the others direct attacks upon Orochimaru were barely making progress.

What if they lose?

As Sasuke reeled back, he turned his entire body, the partizan ripping through to free his wings. Kicking Kisame back forcefully, he stalked towards him, ready to deliver a fatal blow. Raising his sword, he stalled, eyes widening.

"What?" He couldn't move, his arms still overhead.

With a flick of his fingers, Sasori brought the boy's arms down, dropping his weapon to the ground. Pein hadn't intentionally given him an opportunity to control Sasuke's body, but an opportunity was an opportunity.

And Sasori wasn't liable to wait around forever.

"We're sending you back to Heaven, Sasuke," Pein told him.

Realizing what punishments awaited him in their holy land, Sasuke grit his teeth and shouted to the man that gave him his power. "Master Orochimaru!"

The snake whipped its tail at its opponents then turned its attention to Sasuke. Slithering towards them, he paid no attention to Kakuzu, Hidan, and Deidara's attempts at distraction. With his eyes laying upon the puppet-like state Sasuke was in, he roared, the volume of his voice deafening. A precious asset and experiment like Sasuke could not be lost over something as petty as a retrieval mission.

"Shit! He's calling demons!" Hidan barked.

Pein pointed to Sasori. "Don't loosen your hold on him! Everyone, defend Sasori at all costs!" The sounds of numerous growls and groans of demons rang over them. "If you fail, I'll kill you myself!"

Sakura stood from her hiding spot, her heart jumping into her throat as they ran off. Were they abandoning her?

Sprinting back with Kisame and Sasori, Pein shifted his gaze to a sliver of pink standing out from the dark, dreary colors of Hell. Stopping, he ordered the others to keep moving, their prize in tow and ready to be delivered. Frustration filled the growl escaping his throat, cursing Deidara for not keeping her close.

OoOoOOoOoO

The smell of rot and decay pervaded the air. Nausea hit Sakura's stomach as her senses were overcome with the horrid odor. In the distance, she could barely make out the silhouettes of numerous creatures marching together in a horde. With knees quaking, she ran in the opposite direction, fearful of their intentions.

How could they do this to her? After asking for her help and reassuring her that she would be safe?!

She could hear their snarling, cursing voices creeping upon her, their feet slapping against the solid ground. This was their realm, she was a human girl. Even if she had continued that old exercise routine, outrunning them was impossible.

They were closing in.

Would they tear her limbs apart? Bite into her? Torture her? Her thoughts mixed together into a jumbled mess. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as her arms pumped as hard as her legs. Adrenaline coursed through her blood, but it wasn't enough.

A hand wisped just over her back and the girl caught her breath.

It was over.

Fingers tangled themselves into her hair, yanking back violently. She screamed out, pain searing through her scalp. Hands began to grope her body, twisting her arms behind her back, nails scraping her legs. Shutting her eyes, a scaly arm wrapped around her neck, blocking air to her trachea.

I'm going to die.

Pein propelled forward, the power of his motion granting him enough speed to reach her. With his weapon, he stabbed through a number of their arms, ripping a few from their torsos. The demons released her and Sakura crawled away on her hands and knees. Turning back, she viewed Pein, trapped by the crowd encircling him. She couldn't believe the sight. The swarm jumped him, dragging their claws across his face or gnawing on his limbs. Some of the smaller ones latched on like leeches, attempting to gain any source of nutrients from his body.

However, Pein didn't struggle. Gazing at her through the barrage of creatures, he spoke to her harshly, "Run, you idiot. Go towards the entrance of Limbo and don't look back."

Sakura didn't hesitate. She hurried towards the familiar area where she had met Karin. Relief washed over her, grateful tht he hadn't forgotten his promise.

Recognizing a few of the landmarks, Sakura could see the line of damned souls and the two pillars. He had told her not to look back, but she couldn't stop herself.

Glancing over her shoulder, she dropped her jaw in disbelief, taking another moment to fully absorb the scene. Pein hadn't moved - only his eyes following her. Slowing to a stop, she felt a twinge of remorse grip at her heart.

She shouldn't have agreed to this. If she wasn't here, Pein wouldn't have had to rescue her. He was now left at the mercy of those nasty, murdering creatures and-

"What the fuck are you doing?! Run, now!" A demon viciously jerked at his arm, tearing it away from his body. Blood spit from his open wound and Pein bowed his head. "Go!" His voice echoed in her ears and she finally did as he said.

The sight of seeing something so graphic had her mind running on autopilot, forcing her legs to push forward. She traversed through the area, distancing herself from Pein and the pack of demons. Climbing the steep hill near Karin's entrance, she found herself at a vantage point, the land below her spread like the open sea in front of her eyes. She fixated on the horde, a spot of orange stationed at its center.

"Pein." She clutched at her chest, struck by guilt. If she hadn't come, he wouldn't have sacrificed himself for her.

OoOoOOoOoO

He hadn't felt pain like this in such a long time. A century, at best. Still, he had to do what he needed to keep her from harm. Spying Sakura upon the cliff near Limbo's gate, he sighed. She was a safe distance away, so he could finally perform one of his most reliable techniques.

Removing his partizan from the bodies of the demons he had impaled with his only arm, he carefully maneuvered its tip to the ground. Focusing all of his energy into his weapon, he drove it into the earth with all of his strength.

A strange feeling whirled through the perimeter, the meer sensation bringing Sakura to her knees. She couldn't move, as though an entire building had fallen onto her. Peering down, Sakura found every last demon on the ground as well, their bodies pressed against the earth. The sounds of their anguished screams and painful cries puzzled her. What could be causing them so much pain? Seeing how Pein was the only one left standing, she wondered if this was his doing. Could this be his power? Was this why he wanted her to go away and stay safe?

She brought her hands to her mouth as blood pooled underneath their bodies, any cries that she heard were swiftly cut short or left to fade into soft whimpers until all noise was silenced. Sakura's eyes never left Pein as he bent down, claiming his severed arm from one of their clamped mouths. Examining it, he subsequently gestured with his head for her to meet him.

"Pein!" He was alive!

OoOoOOoOoO

Sasori clenched his teeth, battling against Sasuke's zeal for freedom. This wasn't right. What did Orochimaru do to this kid to give him such significant power? Orochimaru wasn't the strongest, in fact, the only strength he had to his name was in his snake form, so how could this have happened?

Breaking through a bridge carved in rock, Orochimaru scrambled after them with Sakura and Pein following their trail.

"I thought you died," Sakura admitted, trying to keep with his pace.

He waited, yet again, for her. "Only angels can kill demons," he remarked.

"Does that mean those things back there didn't really die?"

Nodding, he continued forward. "It will take time, but they'll regenerate."

Sakura eyed his severed arm. "Does that mean you'll regenerate a new arm too?" The bleeding had stopped, but it was definitely a nasty wound.

"No, my arm's still intact, so I'll just have Kakuzu reconnect it with his threads." The man turned to her. "You're moving slow."

"I'm sorry. One of those things grabbed onto my ankle and twisted it the wrong way."

Grunting, Pein presented his arm to her. "Hold onto this."

"What?! I'm not touching that!" she exclaimed.

He pushed it closer. "We're quite far away from the others and I need to make sure that Sasuke is returned to Indra. Hold onto my arm and I'll carry you on my back."

Sakura grimaced. Blood covered the majority of the skin along with several bite marks. It may be intact, but it was still a severed arm and she didn't want to touch any of the sort unless she had to in her medical courses.

Growing impatient, he forcibly grabbed her hands, wrapping them around it. "I saved your life twice already. The least you can do is make up for that by ceasing to be a burden."

The girl frowned, conceding to his demands, his severed arm in tow. Holding the 'cargo' between her chest and his back, she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs hitched over his waist. He was fortunate she was so light, as it made the task much easier.

"Both of them were your fault to begin with," she proclaimed, the word 'burden' pushing at her buttons.

He held her with his single hand underneath her left thigh. "My fault? I'm afraid that the weight of our predicament is yours. I've given you a number of opportunities to leave, but you're too stubborn to listen to reason."

"If I wasn't here, you wouldn't have found Sasuke," she stated.

"We would have found him eventually," Pein replied blandly.

She snorted, "Admit that bringing me was a success."

Traveling through the rubble created by one of Orochimaru's attacks, Pein turned his head to look at her. Her entire face was dirty, a few scratches from the demons marking her skin and a single bruise forming on her right temple. In his hold, he could still feel her trembling. Momentarily, he felt ashamed. He made himself responsible to watch over her and allowed himself to forget her - even for that spare second. If he hadn't looked back and took notice, she would have lost her life.

She had given him her trust and he was careless.

He didn't give a damn about her, but keeping his vows gave him something to take pride in. Pein wasn't at all repelled by his demon blood, instead, he desired the proof that demons were civilized and shove it into Indra's face while being compared to manipulative, savage monsters.

"I apologize for causing you this much stress," he started, "This isn't something you should be experiencing as a human."

"But you said that humans had been in Hell before."

"And not a single one survived. Most of them were brought down by sly tricksters, luring them to their dens to feast upon them. Others had performed sacred rituals, sacrificing someone of their own clan to please certain demons they worshipped."

"Not a single one? Is that true?"

"Yes. The longest duration of a live human's stay was no longer than a month until they were killed," he answered. He jerked his head westward, his eyes sharp. "They're very close. I'm letting you down, so I can go on ahead."

"No, you can't do that! I can't run, so those demons will get me," she protested, her fear returning.

Dropping the girl to her feet, he pointed to his arm. "Hold onto it and they won't take notice of you. The blood of a demon is a potent smell, so you will be fine."

"Why can't you just bring me with you? Please, don't leave me out here. I don't even know where you're going!"

He tapped the concave breaks in the ground with the cap of his boot, an obvious sign that Orochimaru had travelled the same route. "Follow this and you'll be fine. By the time you arrive, we'll have finished Orochimaru."

"And what if you haven't?" she challenged.

"Stay very far away. Do not approach us."

Grabbing his sleeve, she refused, "No! I'm not being left alone again!"

"If you don't want to die then I advise you to do as I say." He roughly twisted his arm out of her grip. "I know my own scent, so even if you do get lost, I'll find you."

"Do you swear on that?"

He stared at her, his irritation apparent. "Why else would I leave my arm with you?" Without waiting for a reply, he dashed away.

Holding the arm firmly in her grasp, she pursed her lips. You better, asshole...

OoOoOOoOoO

Deidara threw one of his bombs, a fiery explosion erupting onto Orochimaru's back. As Pein grouped with the others, the blonde's focused expression grew into concern. "Hey, where's Sakura?" He already felt terrible leaving her behind.

"And where's your arm?" Kakuzu added, wrapping his tendrils around a large boulder and slinging it at the snake's head, nailing the center of his face.

"Forget about that. Let's bring Orochimaru down," Pein ordered.

Hidan leapt over some rubble to reach their opponent. "We can't! No matter how many times we fucking hit him, he just isn't taking any damage!"

"We assume he's had a few drinks of angel's blood," Kisame explained.

"Of course he did," Pein growled out of frustration. What would this idiot not do? "Then we'll have to travel back to the portal near Karin."

"Are you crazy?! If we do that then-" Deidara was cut off as Orochimaru whipped his tail across his body, crashing him through a wall of stone.

Plucking him from the debris with his tail, Orochimaru laughed wickedly, slamming him to the ground directly at the others. Blood stained the dirt on every impact as Orochimaru continued to slap him against the earth, escape becoming infeasible. Knowing they could do nothing for him, the rest continued to dodge their bound ally, surrounding Orochimaru, preparing to attack altogether. Using Deidara's body, he swept him across the ground, rocks cutting into him before catching Hidan in his path and knocking him off of his feet.

"We've got to subdue him before he calls more demons," Pein yelled.

Discarding Deidara like a ragdoll, Orochimaru's reptilian eyes flashed with rage. "You think you can defeat me? Angel's blood is coursing through my veins! There's nothing a demon like you can do!" Unhinging his mouth, the snake demon unleashed his fury upon the man that damaged his experiment. "I'll kill you over and over until your bones grind to dust!"

"Not by your hands, Orochimaru." A woman's voice pierced through Hell's dark skies, buzzing into the reptile's ears.

Suddenly, a spate of paper fell like rain, sticking to Orochimaru's body. He writhed in agony as each sheet bursted into flames upon contact - flakes of skin shedding from his body in large quantities. Several pieces of paper set upon his eyes, engulfing both in fire.

"Damn you! Damn you, Konan!" Orochimaru screamed, thousands of paper now covering his body. "You witch! You'll die for this!"

A blue haired woman hovered above them, wings of paper outstretched and stirring. Her impassive, amber eyes stared down at the pitiful state of the snake. "Kill me? What a ridiculous statement." With a flick of her wrist, every sheet of paper stamped to his body erupted into flames, emitting a combination of smoke and ashes from the mass.

"Master Orochimaru!" Sasuke called out. "Master Orochimaru!"

It was too late, the outcome of their battle ending victoriously on Pein's side. Receding back to his original form, Orochimaru's lifeless body rested on the ground, burned to unidentifiable measures.

"Perhaps our assault helped to dissolve the angel's blood in his body," Sasori surmised, wondering how accurate his statement was. It may all just be a coincidence whether or not it was true.

Delicately landing her feet to the ground, the woman contracted her wings, losing their size. "Just as foolish as I remember."

"Great timing," Kakuzu told her.

"You're lucky that I came. What gave you the idea to attack Orochimaru in the first place?" Following Hidan's pointed hand to the corrupted angel, her features softened. "I see."

Sakura's voice rang through the area. "Pein! Kisame!" She was running, a limp in her step.

Kakuzu rested his eyes on Pein's arm. "Ah, there it is. Very clever of you to keep it with her as camoflage, Pein."

Meeting with the group, Sakura handed her 'camoflage' back to its owner. "Sorry for doubting you. I should have known that you would defeat Orochimaru." However, the putrid smell and the state of his burnt corpse forced bile into her throat. Truly sickening.

"The pleasure of killing Orochimaru isn't mine. Konan was the one who finished him," Pein answered.

Sakura blinked, unfamiliar with the name. "Konan?" Cocking her head, she gawked at the blue-haired stranger.

Konan stepped towards her, taking in her scent. "Pein, why is there a human here?"

"We used her as bait to lure Sasuke."

"Boorish demon, how dare you. What inexcusable behavior," she chided, her voice abrasive and very much unlike her soft, serene appearance.

Hidan pushed himself into the conversation. "Hey, shut up! The bitch wanted to do it-" Konan slapped a piece of paper to his face, threatening to silence him with the twitch of her fingers.

"Wretched, little thing. Don't speak to me with such a filthy mouth," she ordered.

Sakura was pleased with this woman's actions. Out of the bunch, she already held the most respect for her.

"Unless you want me to release this kid from my hold, I suggest we finish the mission," Sasori broke in.

Konan agreed, "I'll join you."

"Sakura, stay by me," Pein instructed.

Counting their numbers, Sakura searched the area, confused. "Wait, what happened to the blonde guy?"

Kisame snickered, his thumb gesturing behind him to the pile of rocks. "Whoops. We almost forgot him again, Pein."

"Kakuzu grab him."

Sakura watched as he moved aside the massive rocks, claiming Deidara's motionless body from the rubble. "Is he going to be okay?"

"I told you that demons cannot die by the hands of other demons," Pein responded. "He'll be back to normal in a day or so."

"Hopefully not too normal," Kisame interjected.

OoOoOOoOoO

Traveling together towards the portal, Sakura was intrigued by Konan, very interested to learn more about her. Appearing to be one of the kindest towards her, Sakura felt calmer, knowing she wouldn't lay a hand on her. The woman even defended her against Pein's actions and Hidan's name-calling, so that just boosted her appreciation.

"I didn't know they had female demons. Are you working with Pein too?" she asked innocently.

A faint smile crept over Konan's lips. "I'm not a demon. I was born an angel."

"Oh, so you just work along with Indra?"

Konan shook her head. "No, I don't work with anyone from Heaven's realm."

"Alright?" Sakura was left perplexed yet again. Why did these deities make it so difficult to answer a simple question?

"Konan was once a fallen angel, escaping Indra's command," Sasori explained.

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, but the boy didn't react - losing his will to speak since Orochimaru settled into his demise - a crestfallen expression overtaking his face.

"Indra betrayed my trust and I decided to leave Heaven. Once I arrived, I was coerced by Orochimaru to join him, he had promised to make me into a demon, so I agreed. During the painful process of my metamorphosis, I realized he was attempting to use my body for his own selfish gain - inspecting me like a dissected rat. I escaped his clutches as well, leaving my body separated into two equal portions. Now, I'm no longer angel or demon, I am a complete neutral being," Konan expanded.

Originally born an angel must have been the reason why she was so polite and kind to Sakura. "So since you're a neutral, does that mean that Orochimaru is really dead?"

"Unfortunately, a neutral being cannot kill a demon or an angel. Despite this, I still assist Pein with any of his endeavors."

Reaching the portal, Sasori tightened his hold, struggling to keep their captive under control. "Damn it, stop moving. It's hopeless, we're bringing you back."

"No... no! Don't take me back there. I want to stay here and be free. Please, don't do this!" His voice broke as he spoke through his teeth.

"It isn't up to us to decide," Pein stated toneless.

"Capturing you was a total bitch to do, so I don't really fucking care what happens to your ass," Hidan added callously.

Konan rested her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "I hope I won't have to see you again," she said, hope grappled into her voice.

"Are you not coming with us?" Sakura questioned, slightly disappointed.

"I'm afraid not. I've been binded here due to my exile and venturing to Earth is impossible since my body cannot handle the portal's effects."

Grabbing at her arm, Pein looked down at their human housemate. "We're taking you back first, so let's move fast."

"Take good care of her Pein. Her life is precious," Konan pressed.

"You haven't seen just how much of a burden this one is on me," he jested mockingly.

Sakura glared at him. "I'm not a burden. You assholes took over my house!"

"Are you hard of hearing? You've been told numerous times that we've occupied that space much longer than any human has."

Facing away from him, she scowled, "Whatever, take me home, so I can finish my assignments!"

As they traveled to the portal, Konan raised her hand in farewell. It had been so long since she involved herself with them. To see a human girl associated with their group was baffling, but equally amusing. Pein and the others hadn't exposed themselves to humans in such a long time - this may be the first time they were in a 'positive' relationship with one.

"Good luck," she wished buoyantly.


	4. Charming

"Fidget any more and I'll stop," Sasori threatened, reaching his peak of irritation.

Sakura settled herself down, trying best to remain still. "I'm sorry. It's not like I would be used to something like this," she grumbled.

Hands clasped to each side of her head, Sasori focused intently on her subconscious, dropping his forehead to hers.

It was an intense moment, witnessing such brutality, although it must have been a common occurrence in Hell since the others kept their focus.

She thought she would be fine, but the events cycled through her dreams, her mind creating more horrific situations or bigger monsters to face. Sakura would wake up, her sheets soaked in sweat. The others had noticed, especially Sasori. Badgering her relentlessly, she finally caved, confessing to the nightmares she had experienced.

oooo

"I can fix that," he said.

Sakura furrowed her brow, skeptical. "How can you fix my dreams?" she asked.

"Controlling people is just one of my specialties. If you'll allow, I may be able to alleviate the stress in your mind and cease the nightmares from ever happening again."

oooo

She wasn't going to brush him off. What did she really have to lose from trying it?

"You better not brainwash me or something," Sakura warned.

Sasori narrowed his eyes. "Keep talking. Maybe I'll do it just for the fun of it."

Pein sat on the opposite side of the room, Kakuzu beside him, inspecting the stitches around Pein's shoulder. "Quit teasing her, Sasori. She's too easy to rile up."

"Shut up. I'm just exhausted from not getting a lot of sleep," she said defensively.

Hidan flapped his hand around, splaying his body on the couch. "Stupid humans and their stupid sleep! Whatever. You pussies are always whining and complaining, but you'll never know how easy you guys have it!"

"You're so hypocritical, Hidan. I've only known you for a couple of weeks and every word out of your mouth is a complaint. Besides, I've been to Hell, so I know how horrible it is," Sakura fired back.

The corners of Sasori's mouth quirked into a smirk. "Finally, someone understands."

"Hey, we all understood since the day we met him," Kisame pointed out.

"That's true, but I've been the only one that has actually said it aloud."

"Fuck you guys. You're all a bunch of stupid assholes," Hidan shouted, slamming his feet onto the floor noisily as he jumped off of the couch. Angrily spitting curses under his breath, he trudged off into the kitchen.

Free of their loudmouthed ally, Sasori eased himself into her mind once again. "This may feel strange, so bear with me."

The feeling wasn't at all uncomfortable. 'Water' encompassed the inside of her skull, the frightening images of monsters dissolving away. Warmth burst from the center like a balloon, slowly encompassing her entire head, trailing down her neck and spine. A hot bath, but inside her body - that's what it felt like. Her shoulders relaxed, contentment displayed through the faint smile on her face.

"I didn't know demons could do something so nice," she spoke softly, head drooping.

Sasori frowned, "Don't expect it from any of the others. Only I can do something like this." Positioning her head back into place, he cupped his hands over her ears.

"Why is that then?" She opened her eyes, meeting with his gaze.

"You ask too many questions," he replied, his irritation returning.

"Yeah? Well, you don't answer my-" Tremors interrupted her, reminding her of the day the enenra entered through the portal.

Standing abruptly, the pair moved away in time for a demon to burst through the floor. Sasori took a defensive stance, guarding Sakura as the others launched into action. Examining it, Sakura felt disgusted by its emaciated figure. Bones protruded from its body seemingly tearing at its tightly-stretched skin. Long, thin fingers bent in the opposite direction, curling into its knuckles. Its mouth appeared to be stitched together, growls of hunger muffled behind its lips.

Smelling the air, the demon flared its nostrils like an animal searching for its prey. Its bulging, bloodshot eyes fell over Sakura.

Its arm extended out, leaping towards her. Mid-air, Kakuzu's threads wrapped around its torso, the demon struggling in his tightening grip. The harsh sound of its ribcage collapsing under his powerful hold carried to Sakura's ears, the girl cringing. Through its stitched mouth, screams poured, continuing to thrash and flail its arms as the pressure ripped its body apart.

Sasori moved over her, blocking her vision, but it was too late. Sakura's eyes snatched a peek at its entrails dangling from its detached torso, blood splashing onto the floor and splattering over her furniture. She could feel the thick liquid pooling at her feet, its heat soaking her skin.

Body limp, Kakuzu dropped it from his grasp, his threads returning to their position inside of his limbs as each separated portion was sewn together again. Pein silently tapped his partizan against the wooden panels, the demon's body dissipating along with the bloody mess and its emerging point from the portal.

Facing her, Sasori regarded her emotional state. "Sit down. I'll use more energy this time."

As he brought his hands to each side of her head, Sakura wondered if this would truly become a reoccurring event.

'We may not kill you, but they certainly won't hesitate...

...And there will be times that we cannot come to your rescue. You will die.'

They wouldn't save her, so what was she left with? There had to be something she could do to protect herself.

Clouding her mind with her troubled thoughts, Sasori's technique wasn't passing through to her subconscious effectively. "Sakura, relax."

"Sorry."

OoOoOOoOoO

Her job was easy compared to the rest of the things she had to deal with in her life. Regardless of the revealing maid outfit, she enjoyed the amount of money she raked in from her guests. Regulars even began to appear during her shift, requesting service solely from her. She never acted sweet and innocent, but tried her best to remain polite until the day one of the men groped her, promptly receiving a slap to his face. Word circulated through the 'community' and Jiraiya named her 'Yabai', increasing her popularity among the masochists and creeps.

Finishing her shift, she ventured into the employees' changing room, covering the hole in the wall. Her suspicions arose the first day she worked, noticing the hole immediately. Rummaging through her bag, she covered it with a bandage and got dressed in her uniform. After her shift, the bandage had mysteriously vanished. Again, she never took chances, so she decided to be careful than have her perverted boss peeping in on her.

She hadn't made any friends with the other girls, but Sakura didn't mind it. They were there solely for the purpose of making money, so why waste her time? If she did, they would only be acquaintances.

'Oh, where did the two of you meet to become such good friends?'

'We work for a maid cafe!'

A little shallow? Definitely, but Sakura took her reputation seriously. She was labelled as a kind, good-natured girl, so if any of her professors discovered she was working at a fetishized restaurant, how would they respond?

Waving goodbye to Naruto, Sakura walked home. Although Sasori had stopped the nightmares, the memories continued to affect her negatively. The thought of that grotesque creature earlier in the week had her skin crawling. It looked weak, but she couldn't gauge her strength on some otherworldly creature's.

Glancing down at her bag, she stopped to examine the battered charm tied to its zipper. Squinting her eyes, she could barely make out the words 'katsumori' on its silken cloth.

How long had it been since she bought it? Ten months? A year?

"I should buy a new one," she thought, "It's given me so much success this past year."

Entering the nearest shrine, she searched the shelves of omamori while she waited for an attendant. Every amulet had different wishes, so she sifted through each row to find her 'success' talisman.

"Hello, what do you need?" An older gentleman greeted her, a friendly smile on his face.

Untying her charm, she showed it to him. "It's been a while, so I'm returning this."

Grasping it, the man nodded his head. "Okay, okay. I'll see to it that it's burned. Is there anything else? Would you like another charm?"

Sakura nodded. As she reached for the exact same one she had purchased originally, her eyes caught sight of something far more interesting.

'Yakuyoke - Evil Warding Charm'

Pulling it from the shelf, the man happily explained it to her, "That's the Yakuyoke omamori! It protects the user from any signs of a demon!"

She was a little shocked. "It does?"

"Yes, from any demon that may inhibit your success. Would you like one?"

Peering down at it, she realized it wouldn't hurt to try. If she kept it on her person, maybe those demons would stop coming through the portal.

"Yes, I'll take it."

"Excellent! Follow me and we'll have the priest bless it!"

OoOoOOoOoO

Arriving home, Sakura was excited to tell them. "Hey, guys! Guess what I-" she trailed off, discovering that she was alone in the house.

They must be doing something in the portal, she guessed, shrugging her shoulders.

It was a little early to make dinner, but Sakura had finished her school assignments faster than she planned. Now that she was getting a few extra hours of sleep, she had enough energy to keep up with all of her daily tasks.

Dropping some pork buns into the steamer, she set the time and moved back into the livingroom. Grabbing her bag, she fingered the silk cloth wrapped around the wooden plate.

"A demon-warding charm, huh," she whispered.

Hidan choked her. Those empty, soulless creatures embedded into the vortex left her paralyzed, ready to drain her life-force. The enenra attempted to suffocate her. The group of demons Orochimaru called for were pulling at her, hungry and bloodthirsty.

Four times she had almost lost her life, but Pein protected her.

Sakura didn't like that. As a child, she was weak and vulnerable to bullies, an easy target with low self-esteem. Was she reverting back to those times?

Brushing her fingers through her hair, she left the charm on her lap. She recalled a moment in middle school - a group of girls encircling her, berating and pushing her around like a doll. They were nasty, despicable girls, but not a single person came to her rescue.

Not until she met Yamanaka Ino.

The blonde had transferred in the middle of the school year after her parents' divorce. She had watched the scene unfold, intervening after one of the larger girls pushed Sakura to the ground. Ino was a bold girl, willing to stand up for others, so that's what she did. In front of Sakura, Ino pushed the girl back, leaving the others shocked. Unfortunately, she was accused of starting the fight and both girls were punished to clean the restrooms for a month, causing Sakura to feel guilty. They became friends once Sakura apologized, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

Afterwards, Ino continued to protect Sakura throughout their middle school days until she developed the courage to do it herself. She didn't want to cower in fear anymore. Constantly watching from behind Ino didn't do anything. How was she supposed to flourish? How could she grow up if Ino was fighting her battles for her?

Thinking back on her childhood left her with a bitter sense of regret. She wished that she would have crawled out of her shell without anyone's help. Sakura would have enjoyed school and could have made so many great memories.

The audible ping of the steamer brought her to her feet. Lumbering back into the kitchen, she opened the lid and removed her meal.

That's what Pein and the rest are doing, she thought. Can you really value yourself if you still depend on others to live your life for you?

With a plate-full of pork buns, she wavered as the portal opened again. Her body growing rigid as a hand slapped onto the floor.

Was it another demon that wanted to attack her?

She eyed the omamori resting on the couch, a meter away from the portal's location. Racing over, she gripped it tightly in her free hand.

Climbing up, her tense countenance faded as she beheld the familiar shade of orange hair. Exposing his dirtied face and clothes, Sakura wondered what they had finished doing. The others quickly followed after Pein until he finally closed the portal. She released a small gasp as Deidara waved to her, missing several fingers.

"What happened to you?" she questioned.

Deidara brought his hand to his chest, a little embarrassed. "It's not a big deal, hm. They'll regenerate."

"He was fooling around with a nekomata and the demon bit his fingers off," Sasori answered stoically.

Deidara frowned at the redhead, heat rising to his face. "Shut the hell up! I just said it wasn't a big deal!"

"Is that what you did? You fought a nekomata?"

Pein shook his head. "No, we were sent to recapture yet another angel."

"Who was it?" she asked.

"No idea. By the time we got there, a bunch of demons had already killed it," Kakuzu replied, his tone casual and laid-back.

Sakura felt a sense of sadness for the angel. They were created to protect humans,, so to hear that it was viciously murdered was terrible news.

Viewing her crestfallen expression, Deidara met with her, his hand falling on her shoulder in an attempt to display comfort. "Don't worry about it, Sakura. The angel probably didn't feel a thing." His smile dropped as what felt like thousands of tiny needles erupted onto the surface of his hand.

Reeling back, he examined his palm, brow furrowed in confusion. Sakura tilted her head, perplexed by his action. "Deidara?" The disconcerting look shrouding his face began to concern her.

Opening and closing his fist, Deidara lifted his eyes to her. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Shifting his attention back to his hand, he left the room.

Weird. I've never seen Deidara act that way before.

OoOoOOoOoO

Finishing school, Sakura read through one of the two Japanese-English translation books on the bus.

After their last mission, the guys were left to their own devices, typically lazying around the house or dropping into the portal out of sheer boredom.

However, there seemed to be some sort of discomfort between her and the others. As soon as she stepped into the house, they withdrew any contact with her. Some, like Sasori, couldn't endure her presence for long, finding solace in Limbo until she left for school or ran errands. Deidara didn't mind speaking with her, but if she came too close, he withdrew his hands to his sides or stepped back to increase the space between them. She had pointed it out multiple times, but the blonde brushed it off with a laugh.

As if on cue, once Sakura opened the door, Sasori immediately stole away Pein's partizan to open the gate. Kakuzu and Hidan jumped in alongside him with the portal closing.

"Good day, Sakura. Damn, you smell just as horrible as you did yesterday," Kisame said with a grin.

"I took a shower. There's no way I can smell bad," Sakura argued.

He shook his head, continuing his modifications on his sentient sword. "If you say so."

That was yet another abnormal change. Apparently, she had started to smell worse and worse in the course of a few days. Initially, she took two baths, only to realize that the smell still lingered on her skin. To her, she smelled nothing, but the demons avowed that she did in fact hold some sort of intolerable odor. Deidara and Pein weren't entirely fazed by this change, but that didn't stop the others from avoiding her.

Passing by Pein, she noticed the small piece of parchment paper in his hand. "What's that? Did you receive a new mission?"

He nodded, "Yes, there's a demon attempting to exit through the other portal I created."

"That so? I'm guessing it's too much for those poor angels to take care of, eh?" Kisame blurted from across the room.

Reading over the final line, Pein presented it to Deidara to read over the information. "I'm sure the angel's blood it consumed is what's causing the trouble."

"Angel's blood? What does that do to a demon?" Learning all about their 'powers' and similar things always confounded her. Asking questions was the only way to fully understand what they were talking about. It annoyed them, but she didn't like being uninformed.

"When a demon drinks an angel's blood, they become invincible for a short period of time. Regardless if it's an angel or demon attacking, no-one can kill it."

Sakura consciously touched her fingers to the charm tied around her neck, the item hidden underneath her shirt. She had forgotten to tell them, but at least now she could test it out. Who knows? Maybe she'd surprise them.

"I'm coming with you," she announced.

Pein crossed his arms over his chest, his brows raised. "You wish to return to Hell?"

"Yes, I want to go."

Deidara displayed his surprise openly. "You do realize that we'll just be keeping it at bay until the angel's blood dissolves, right?"

"And didn't you practically piss your pants last time? Pein saved your ass and Sasori had to do his little mind trick on you," Kisame pointed out. Of course, if Sasori were there to hear Kisame say something like that, he'd be quite offended.

"You've witnessed Orochimaru's power, Sakura. Are you really willing to go there again?" Pein wasn't refusing, just reminding her that it wasn't exactly a picnic at the beach.

Sakura remained adamant on her choice. "I told you that I want to go twice already!"

"Why?" Deidara asked. "A week ago, you didn't want anything to do with us."

Sakura bit at her bottom lip - she couldn't deny that without lying. "So what?" She raced over to the location of the portal. "I don't have class or work tomorrow, so let's go."

"Hold it. I don't have my partizan, so I'll have to open it manually," Pein explained.

"Bossing around the leader, huh? I like this girl," Kisame mused, ignoring the glare thrown in his direction. "Okay, I'm with her. If you want to go, you better not come back bitching and moaning about it."

Sakura accepted his bargain, stepping back to give Pein the proper space he needed. Kneeling, Pein planted both hands to the floor, his nails digging into the wood with little resistance. Boring through the wood's surface, he latched onto it, proceeding to dismantle a large portion of the flooring. The pieces snapped, exposing the foundation below. Creating a hole large enough for them to pass through, he pushed the splintered pieces of wood away and held his hands just above the foundation.

Muttering an incantation under his breath, the foundation caved, creating a sinkhole, the vortex appearing once the debris cleared. It was much smaller than the gate he opened with his partizan, but he couldn't waste all of his energy creating one they could comfortably jump into. Grasping Sakura, he motioned to the others to follow him.

Passing through, imaginary needles pricked through his hands, consuming his arms and any area of his body touching Sakura. Sakura clutched onto him, peeking under her lashes, she noticed not a single life-sucker (as she so charitably named them), daring to touch her. She smiled proudly.

The charm must have been working if they hadn't bothered her.

Reaching the ground, Pein released her in a hasty fashion, staring at her suspiciously. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but he couldn't ignore the fact that the portal's 'residents' shrank back as they dropped through. The pain that swept through his body was receding, but nothing of that sort had happened before. Deidara had informed him of the exact feeling, but he assumed the boy was overreacting.

Sasori, Kakuzu, and Hidan hadn't traveled far, sitting a few meters away. Joining with their group, Sasori shielded his mouth and nose with his forearm; the putrid aroma radiating from Sakura's body disgusting him.

"What the fuck? What are you doing here?" Hidan stated rudely.

Pein beckoned for his weapon, catching it as Sasori tossed it back. "We're finishing the task Indra sent us."

Moseying over to Sakura, Hidan brushed her hair into her face. "I meant what is she doing here. She'll just get in our way." His voice blared nasally as he plugged his nose. "Fuck! And she stinks like shit!"

"I get it. Stop saying it all the time," Sakura snapped angrily.

"Calm down. It doesn't matter how she smells, Sakura decided to join us," Pein said.

Kakuzu cocked his head back, narrowing his eyes in disbelief. "Truthfully?" Hearing something like that made a house with legs seem feasible.

"We don't have time to screw around, hm," Deidara griped, throwing his hands in the air. "Indra will get all pissy with us if we don't stop that demon."

Reluctantly, the trio joined them, widening their range, failing to relieve their olfactic sensitivities. It wasn't simply because she smelled bad - it literally made them sick. Before her hand could graze the doorknob, Sasori's insides churned. Bile rose in his throat while his skin became cold and clammy. He'd been cut apart, bitten, and stabbed by many of his enemies, but any moment he sensed Sakura's presence after she returned home a couple days ago, the redhead couldn't muster the strength to stay in the home for long. It was torture. Stepping too close caused his lungs to restrict, making it difficult to breathe. Touching her burned his skin.

Normally, he'd be curious, but being exposed to it for as long as he was erased those thoughts from his mind. The feelings were the same for Hidan and Kakuzu. Nausea bludgeoned their stomachs, heads spinning like tops.

Passing the line, Sakura walked by Kisame, continuing to skim her fingers along the hidden charm. She had watched them fight before and, knowing their strength, made her feel much more secure than the first time she agreed to go.

"How long will it take Orochimaru to revive?" she asked.

Kisame picked at his teeth. "Considering how horrific his death was, I'd say he'll be back to his normal self in another day."

Closing in on Karin, the group fell back as a damned soul ran off from the line, racing towards them. It lashed out, striking its claws at Kisame.

Cursing it, he removed his sentient sword from the holster strapped to his back and smashed it down, flattening its body, his face contorted into anger.

Deidara, wild-eyed, examined the corpse. "What the hell was up with that?!"

"I've never seen one act so aggressive," Sasori noted, unable to conceal his astonishment.

Placing his sword over his shoulder, Kisame spit on it. "Little fucker. Learn your place next time." Stomping his foot onto its head, he trudged forward, his light-hearted mood shifting.

Sakura toddled after them, glimpsing back at the body. The way it had approached them, it seemed to have been targeting her, but Kisame blocked its path. None of them did it last time she was there... Could they be reacting negatively to her charm?

OoOoOOoOoO

Speaking with Karin was short and sweet compared to the numerous occasions they had dealt with in the past. Oddly, she waved them away, claiming that she didn't want anything to do with them. Pointing to Sakura, she cursed loudly, threatening them to leave, or she'd get rid of the mortal herself.

"Man, everything's acting really weird. First that walking corpse, then Karin-"

"Stop worrying about it," Pein scolded. "Just jump into the portal and we'll head to the gate."

Deidara pouted, "So pushy."

Taking hold of Sakura again, Pein hurled himself into the portal. Sakura grabbed hold of his shirt, the powerful gusts of wind threatening to tear her out of his arms. This portal was different from the one underneath her house - not a single life-sucker was nestled inside. Darkness cloaked the vortex while they traveled deeper, losing the light from its entrance.

Sweat speckled the nape of her neck and forehead as the cold, stale air from Limbo transcended into smouldering heat. Pein grew accustomed to the rising temperatures, but knew very well that humans perished easily.

"We're passing the second tier of Hell, so the heat will intensify. Since we're traveling through the portal, you'll be exposed to it briefly. You will feel pain." Under his stoic guise, he ground his teeth, his hands burning as though he had them over an open flame. She was hiding something, but he wasn't sure what it could be.

"Okay," she mumbled.

On his word, scathing heat whipped over her skin. Sakura buried her head in his chest, failing to shield herself from the scorching wind. It beat against her terribly, leaving her without a chance to recover. The pain was horrendous. Was this how the damned felt in the second tier? What were the others like?

She screamed out, the pain growing too intense for her; blisters formed on her shoulders and ears. Sweat drenched her clothes and hair, her bangs clinging to her face.

Before she could wither away, the heat vanished. She panted heavily, regaining her composure. Her shoulders and ears throbbed, but she was proud of herself.

She set her eyes on the man carrying her. "I did it," she said through ragged breaths.

He stared at the tears staining her cheeks. "Yes, you did," he answered, averting his gaze.

Calling out to their leader, Hidan pointed downward. "Hey, we're close to our stop! The gate's this way!"

"Head on!" Pein yelled back. "I'll join you quickly."

They obeyed his edict, bursting through the portal one-by-one.

"We'll use you as a distraction to gain its attention. After its forgotten about the gate, I want you to run back and tuck away from sight. You may only come out on my orders," he said, stressing his instructions.

Sakura didn't respond, her hand to her chest. Just underneath her shirt, her charm was there and she was willing to risk her safety to use it.

She wasn't useless or weak or cowardly.

I can protect myself.

OoOoOOoOoO

Gripping her to his chest, he jumped through the portal, sliding against solid ground as he kept her from harm. Opening her eyes, she climbed off of Pein and studied the monster in front of her.

Six arms of misshapen size and length reached for the gate above them. Its bulbous head hung upside down against its torso, flat, chipped teeth crowding its mouth. It was massive, but nothing of worth when set side-by-side to Orochimaru's snake form.

The angels that had fought against it retreated at the sight of Pein's group, leaving them to finish the job.

Kisame wound his fingers around the hilt of his sword, his hand resting against its skull-shaped pommel. "Samehada will cut it to ribbons."

"Don't forget it's impervious to attacks due to the angel's blood. We'll use Sakura to guide it away from the gate and continue to fight it off until we can capture it safely," Pein decreed.

Hidan wielded his scythe, itching to get their mission over with. "Go on, bitch! Make a scene!"

She wiped at the sweat rolling down her forehead and turned to Pein. "I'll start then." Nodding, Pein and the others stalled behind her, alert and ready to defend her from any action the demon could commit.

Her body was shaking again. With each step, her insides threatened to burst. Sakura unfastened the braided rope around her neck and cradled the charm in her hands. "Hey!" She screamed as loud as she possibly could. "Over here!"

Turning towards the sound, Sakura felt the tiny hairs on her neck prick up. Goosebumps budded on her skin as it spotted her.

"Food," it boomed, climbing down the rocky wall.

"Very good. Slowly, retreat back while- Sakura!" Pein's orders were cut short as Sakura charged towards the demon.

Hidan and the others were struck dumb. "Does she want to fucking die?!"

Hearing the others ordering her to stop, Sakura fumbled with the charm's cloth, desperately trying to tear it away from the wood. They were made to last, so the cloth's tassel knot couldn't be easily undone.

Stones broke free from the dirt as the beast crept upon her, sending vibrations rippling from its weighted movements.

A large, thick tongue slipped out of its mouth, a stream of saliva dribbling off of its face. "Food!" Slapping its hands to the ground, it sprang forward, moving at top speed.

Sakura's heart thumped hard in her chest, still working through the cloth. The ground shook underneath her feet, the demon coming dangerously close. "Fuck, come on! Fuck!" she pleaded.

Its eyes moved in different directions, its ravenous appetite taking full control over its senses. Pein grabbed his partizan, hurling it at the beast with all of his strength, losing his stitching in his right arm. The weapon stuck into its chest, but nothing could steer it away from the tasty, living morsel in front of it.

Dropping it due to her frayed nerves and shaky, sweaty grip, Sakura hurriedly picked up the omamori and bit down on the cloth with her teeth. Yanking back, the silk tore. Using her fingers, she separated the cloth from the wood, unleashing the ward directly at the demon seconds before it would have caught her.

A blinding light emanated from the charm, expelling the powers of the priest's blessing onto the demon. The others recoiled back, watching through squinted eyes as the demon flailed its arms manically, screeching in terror. She pushed the omamori closer, causing it to roll onto its back, smoke exuding from its flesh.

"What is she holding? How is she doing that?" Deidara asked, amazed.

Pein didn't answer, his mouth partially opened in awe.

Sakura planted her feet firmly against the dusty ground, her arm perfectly still as she held out her 'weapon'. She didn't dare move a single muscle until the light faded, the demon's skin and tissue melting away, exposing its skeleton.

With ragged breaths, her arm fell to her side, the rest of her body trembling from the adrenaline rush. Sakura's breath steadied, bowing her head. In her tight grasp, she peered down at the broken charm.

It worked.

At that moment, Sakura realized she was smiling. A foolish, giddy smile. Turning on her heels, she displayed her reaction to her victory. "I did it!" She repeated her words, racing towards them, a bounce in each step. "I did it!"

"She killed it. It's really dead," Deidara uttered, floored.

Sakura laughed, her chest heaving up and down. "I defeated a demon! Did you see that?" She showed off the charm. "I bought this at a shrine!"

Her joy was short-lived as Pein roughly pushed her to the ground, smacking her head against the dry, cracked earth. Sitting up, she flashed her eyes in his direction. "What the hell is your problem? Don't push me like that!"

Grappling his hands to the collar of her shirt, he picked her from the ground then threw her down again. She attempted to scurry away, losing her breath as he dropped his foot onto her chest. Sakura clawed his leg with her nails, feet kicking at him. "Get the fuck off of me!" she said, barely breathing.

Reaching down to her, the man claimed a handful of her hair, jerking her head back. "Do you think this is a game?" he muttered, his voice grainy.

Deidara smiled weakly, coming to her rescue. "Hey, Pein, let her off easy! She did kill it."

Pein ignored him, pressing his boot harder. "Do you think this is a game?" he resounded.

Expecting her chest to cave in, Sakura lashed her head side-to-side. "No! Get off! Get off! It fucking hurts!" Raising his foot, Sakura swallowed a few, large breaths of air.

Ready to stand to her feet, Pein refused to release her hair, dragging her towards the demon while she cried out, wrapping her hands around his wrist.

Deidara looked to the others, worried. "What should we do?" He brought his thumb to his mouth, pressing it against his lips.

Sasori hunched his shoulders. "We can't do anything. She disobeyed Pein's orders." Trying to intervene and make peace sounded easy, but if the scenario added an enraged Pein to the blend, he wouldn't dare speak against him.

Reaching the demon's skeleton, Pein threw her towards it. She stumbled, slipping into the mud-like liquid containing the demon's organs, melted flesh, and blood. The putrid slime covered her forearms and legs as she brought them forward to break her fall. Staggering to her feet, Sakura shot Pein an angry look, her eyes sharp as daggers.

"I beat it for you, you idiot! Do you see this charm? I bought it to help!" She tossed it at his feet. "Don't fucking touch me again!"

Pein paid no interest to the charm, breaking it to pieces as he stomped towards her. Sakura withdrew, cornering herself as her back came into contact with the demon's skull behind her. She turned her head and raised her hands defensively to her face. After a moment, she opened her eyes, wondering why he hadn't grabbed her.

Instead, Pein leered down, his eyes blazing with rage. "I told you to run back. Those were my orders and you went against them. I'm the leader for a reason, Sakura. I implement instructions to avoid injuries. Why would you do something so stupid?" He grabbed onto her wrist. "You could have been killed."

"I knew what I was doing, Pein. My actions weren't reckless." She frowned. "I wanted to show you that I could take care of myself."

He scoffed, "That wasn't the actions of someone that knew what she was doing. Tell me, Sakura, what would you have done if that blessing hadn't worked?"

"I... would have-"

"Died," he finished angrily.

"But it didn't happen. I saved you the time of wearing it down. You should be thanking me, I've figured out a way of stopping demons that drank angel's blood," Sakura argued.

Pein slapped his hand across her face, startling her and the group of men behind him. "Foolish, little girl... Expecting my gratitude when you've learned nothing." He dropped her hand, turning his back to her.

Tears welled in her eyes, the sting of his hand present on her cheek. Grazing her fingers along her hot skin, she wondered what was so wrong with what she had done. She didn't deserve this sort of treatment after assisting them.

Extracting his partizan from the demon's remains, he pointed towards the portal. "We're done here." Glancing back at the girl, he beckoned her over. "Hurry up. Deidara will carry you back."

OoOoOOoOoO

It was hard for her to understand. Why weren't they pleased with her performance? She was just a human, so killing a demon must have been a first for them to witness - especially since it was invincible at the time. Upon entering their shared home, Sakura silently retreated to the bathroom, scrubbing off the remnants of the demon in the shower.

Closing her eyes, she dropped the bar of soap onto the tub's floor, sobbing uncontrollably. She had sacrificed so much to please everyone, but the moment she desperately sought after that feeling, it was thrown back at her.

What's wrong with me?

oooo

Hearing the shower running, Pein settled himself near the window, cupping his hand under his chin. It had been a long day.

"You didn't have to slap her," Deidara addressed. "She really did want to help."

Hidan groaned, bringing his hands to his face and pulling down on his lower eyelids. "Get the fuck over it!"

"It's not right," Deidara pointed out. "Couldn't you tell how happy she was when she looked back at us?"

"It wasn't happiness. It was pride," Pein responded, blankly staring at the restaurant on the street's corner, its lights shutting off. "To put herself in danger like that was senseless."

"She just wanted to show that she was strong. I mean, we've made a lot of mistakes too. Can't you just tell her that she did a good job?"

"I've already wasted enough time as it is dealing with her. I'm not going to shower her with praise simply because she killed it. If she hadn't been so lucky, that girl would be dead." Pein waved him away as he heard the water shut off. "Stop pestering me, Deidara. I'm sure there are other things you can distract yourself with." The blonde frowned, displeased with Pein's response and marched off into the kitchen.

Pein picked at the dirt and dried blood under his nails, debating whether he had been too hard on her. He was angry, rightfully so, but he lost control when he slapped her. It was a nasty habit he developed after Deidara and Hidan's rebellious behavior brought him to his boiling point, later becoming a natural reaction when exasperated by their antics. He broke away from his thoughts, along with the others, at the sound of her door closing.

"She hasn't eaten has she," Kisame thought aloud.

Hidan combed his fingers through his hair. "Who cares, who cares, who cares?! Goddamn it! She'll mope around for a few days, so what? Humans have lived without food before, she won't starve." Hearing about her so much gave him a headache.

Sakura this, Sakura that. She was just a stupid human!

"I've noticed she doesn't smell anymore," Kakuzu remarked, ignoring Hidan's grousing.

Sasori flipped through the pages of one of the few books Sakura brought with her. "The item she used was a demon-warding charm. It was most likely the source of her odor while she carried it around."

"Yeah, and you ran away every time she came home," Kisame jested.

Shutting the book, Sasori stuffed it back onto her shelf. "Leaving the room to avoid her smell was not running away."

"Sounds like it to me."

With their bickering transcending into a fight, Pein quietly climbed the stairs, reaching Sakura's door. Tapping a single time, he called to her, "Sakura, I need to speak with you."

"Come back later," she said through the wood.

Taking her response as her way of refusing, Pein opened the door anyway, revealing Sakura dressing into her nightwear, her chest exposed. She grabbed hold of the book on her desk and threw it at him.

"What the hell! I told you to come back later!" she spouted.

Catching it, Pein nestled it into the crook of his arm, unperturbed by her exposed body. "I thought you were saying 'no' to me," he explained.

Blood rose to her face as she rushed to put her shirt on. "Idiot, I'm not always like that. Next time listen to me when I say something."

Spying the swelling of her eyes, he deduced she must have been crying. Closing the door behind him, he thought over how to speak with her. "What happened today wasn't supposed to. While I was surprised that you wanted to join us, I never had expected you to pull such a stunt."

He waited for a response, but the girl didn't speak. The muffled hollering of their roommates filling the silence.

It was hard for the both of them - apologizing wasn't either one's forte.

Sighing, Pein accepted that he had done worse to her. "I can't have you doing something so irrational again, Sakura. If that charm hadn't worked, I wouldn't have made it in time to save you. You may not understand, but when a demon ingests an angel's blood, all of it's base power is magnified to an incredibly high level. The entire time you're fighting it is a struggle. Until that blood leaves its body, nothing can stop it."

"Except my omamori did," she interjected.

"But you didn't know that. You went forward, disregarding all of my warnings. That was careless." He absentmindedly brought his hand to one of the studs lining the bridge of his nose, tweaking it between his fingers. "Proceeding forward with only your intuition will get you killed."

"My intuition is what saved you an entire fight! Don't forget that!"

"Intuition or 'luck' cannot be categorized as a true victory. You throw a few pieces together and hope it works. Hope doesn't hamper a demon from grinding your body between its teeth, it's illogical. You can't base an entire plan just on what your gut is telling you," he fired back.

She took a moment to imagine what could have happened to her. The demon's eerie, deep voice materializing in her mind, its eyes nestling on her seconds prior to ripping the silken cloth from the wood.

'Food.'

"However, the way I treated you was unnecessary. I overreacted and, for that, I apologize," Pein said sincerely.

Sakura's damp hair fell into her face as she lowered her head. A hand covered her eyes, hiding her shame. How ironic was it to experience something like this? A demon apologizing to her before she had. Pein held some empathy, whether he chose to show her or not.

"I've never liked depending on others. If I find a way to do something on my own, that's the way I want to do it. That's why I moved here all by myself without anyone's help." Slowly, she brushed away her hair, exposing her eyes through her pink fringe. "I don't want people to think I'm weak."

"Humans are weak. You were created to be delicate and not a single one of you can change that." His hardened gaze cracked. "Depending on others is what helps to keep you alive. In cold, you huddle together for warmth. In hunger, you all search for food. In dangerous situations, you join forces and fight. Separating yourself from that will cost you your life."

Embarrassed, Sakura fiddled with the hangnail on her little finger. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about it sooner. With school and my job, I just didn't have the time to share my idea. After I killed it, I didn't understand why you were angry with me because I had finally proved to you that I was on your level. I could kill demons too," she confessed, her voice just a murmur.

"Why were you so set on proving this?" Pein asked her, puzzled.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "There's a world that I've just realized that's real. Isn't it human instinct to want to explore it?"

He smirked, "You're asking me?"

"I know, what a ridiculous thing to do." She laughed at herself, stopping as she eyed the unfinished assignment on her desk. "It was scary when I first went there. I never wanted to go back."

"Obviously you changed your mind."

She nodded, closing her textbook. "I realized that it didn't matter. Even if I spent the rest of my time ignoring you, those demons would continue to jump out of that portal. You said it yourself that there would be times where you wouldn't be there to protect me..."

"Moving out would be a logical choice," Pein replied.

"I can't do that after talking so highly of myself."

"You're as stubborn as an ass."

Sakura smiled at him, a mischievous gleam shining in her eyes. "That's right and I won't change."

He had to ask. "What does that mean for you then? Will you be joining us every time we're requested for missions?"

"No, not every time. I have school and work, so weekends and holidays may be the only time I can," she answered, her priorities still set firmly in place.

"You seem confident with yourself. Has killing one demon caused your head to soar through the clouds? Is your inflated ego close to bursting?"

"Very funny. I didn't know you had a sense of humor," Sakura snipped playfully.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sasuke threw his head back as his body was, yet again, soaked in the cleansing waters. His skin blistered on contact, causing him immense pain. His hands and feet were bound by chains, held in the strong, unyielding hold of his former comrades. He didn't know how much time had passed while under this torment, his mind tipping on the brim of insanity.

A servant to Indra presented him with a whip. Displaying it in front of Sasuke, the boy thrashed around, having received the punishment multiple times before.

"Please! I've learned my lesson!"

"You're still corrupted by Hell's powers." Indra struck him against his back, blood speckling the freshly marked wound. "And do not speak unless I speak first."

Another bucket of the cleansing waters coated his body. The young angel screamed out, tensing his muscles as it seeped into his wounds, intensifying the pain.

Whipping him once more, Indra shifted his attention to the form behind him. "Your brother should feel grateful for my leniency, Itachi. If he wasn't of use to me, I would have sacrificed him at the Master's feet."

Itachi bowed to his leader, his expression vacant of emotion. "He is, Lord Indra. As am I..." He brought both hands to his heart. "I'm truly indebted to your kindness."

The older man slid his fingers along the thong of the whip, his eyes dropping to Sasuke as he collapsed, his body shaking.

"As you should be," Indra stated coldly. "You're just as much at fault for your brother's betrayal as he is."

"Forgive me, my lord," Itachi responded, wincing as the crack of the whip echoed in his ears alongside his brother's pained cries.

Indra's eyes absorbed the sight of his prisoner's debilitated condition, wishing to take in every detail. The misery lining Sasuke's face pleased him greatly.

"Sasuke, do you pray for forgiveness?" Indra asked.

Sasuke shook his head, the chains rattling around him. "Yes, yes! I ask for forgiveness! I ask for forgiveness!"

"How long were you gone, Sasuke? How many days passed until Pein returned you to me?"

"Half of a year, I think..." Sasuke flexed his wrists, waiting impatiently to be freed.

Cocking his head, Indra looked down on him impassively. "You're guessing? Do you mean to tell me that you hadn't counted the days?"

"No, I didn't." He bit down on his tongue as Indra scourged his back. "Lord Indra?!"

"One hundred ninety-three days." The lash cracked against Sasuke's skin, blood trickling down his spine. "Four thousand six hundred thirty-two hours." Indra continued to beat him, his strikes harder. "And over sixteen million seconds." Red painted Sasuke's back as Indra whipped him relentlessly, stopping after the boy began to smack his head onto the floor.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he wailed.

Itachi turned his head, his jaw tightening as Indra's servants poured two buckets upon his brother, leaving him to hear the earsplitting screams of anguish thrown from his brother's throat. Falling face down, Sasuke didn't have the energy to move anymore, finally accepting the rest of his punishments.

"Be grateful that I'm treating you lightly, Sasuke. It pains me to punish any of my brothers and sisters, but it kills me to do this to someone as special as you. The Master watched over you throughout your betrayal, blessing you with another opportunity to serve and protect."

Sasuke closed his eyes, his strength completely drained from his body. "I'm thankful for the Master's selflessness," he mumbled. "And I'm thankful to you, Lord Indra."

"You have been cleansed, child. For your repentance, I'll take away the doubled lashings."

Balling his hands into fists, Sasuke spoke to Indra, his bottom lip trembling, "Thank you, Lord Indra..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Yabai' is the closest you'll get to badass, mostly used around the younger generations. It can mean 'terrible, but great'. Jiraiya likes to stay 'hip' by using the term in such a way. :)


	5. Around Town

The attendant stared down in astonishment at the pile of omamori. "Y-you want all of these?!" She had taken the entire rack of demon-warding charms without hesitation.

Rummaging through her bag, she removed her wallet. "Yes, please. How much will they cost together after blessing them?"

The relaxed nature of her tone left him even more surprised. Was this a prank?! Why would this young girl need so many charms? However, she was still a customer and he had to do his job. Counting them out, the old man totaled the cost at eleven thousand yen.

It was pricey, but she had to keep a good amount nearby. Paying him, he sighed, carrying the twenty-three omamori in a bag. Sakura walked beside him, ready to have her 'weapons' blessed by the head priest.

OoOoOOoOoO

Before heading home, she entered one of the small, western diners just on the corner of her street and bought a pizza. It was an impulsive purchase, especially considering how much she paid for the charms, but she was in high spirits. Of course, she couldn't eat the entire thing herself, so sharing it with her roommates wasn't a bad idea. Even if they didn't want any, she'd gladly save it for leftovers.

Stopping at her door, she grabbed her keys. Regardless of her home's reputation, locking the door wasn't an option. Knowing Pein and the others, they wouldn't stop someone from stealing her stuff. They'd probably make a joke about it too.

Unlocking the deadbolt, Sakura was met with Sasori, his face muffled in the crook of one arm and holding an antique chest in the other. "Put them inside here," he ordered, a sickly pallor washing the color from his face.

"You mean my charms?"

"What else would I mean?" he spat.

The others didn't comment, sharing the same repulsed features. She gave him the pizza to hold in exchange for the chest. Opening it, she dropped the contents of the bag into the container. "You weren't this upfront about it before," she recalled.

"You had _one_. Can you imagine how badly it smells to us knowing you have even _more_?" Sasori argued.

She figured that. A demon-warding charm meant _every_ demon. Finally closing the lid, they released their held breath, the foul stench concealed instantaneously.

"What kind of box is this?" she asked, walking inside.

"It's a sacred chest built by the Master, a gift created just for the demons that once resided in Heaven. It holds a protective barrier in its wood, sealing anything placed inside." Sasori followed her as she set the artifact onto her shelf. "Indra planned to destroy it, but Pein stole it away."

Grabbing the pizza, Sakura sauntered to the kitchen. "Indra doesn't sound like a very nice guy. Why would he want to destroy it?"

"A gift for demons? Indra abhors even the mention of our names, so destroying something created solely for us is to be expected," Sasori replied.

"Sounds like he doesn't appreciate all of the work you do for him."

Deidara's laugh rang out from the living room. "You have no idea, Sakura."

That was true. There _was_ so much that she didn't know about them. Why were they the only demons allowed outside of Hell? Why did Pein have to create a portal under Indra's nose? The majority of her questions asked were brushed off, ultimately left unanswered because they chose to keep it that way. Sakura understood their reasoning, but her natural curiosity led her to wanting more. She wanted to know everything about Hell and Heaven. Two months had passed since their first meeting and she had already visited their birthplace twice. Didn't she deserve to learn more about them? In a twisted way, she wanted to be _friends_ with them.

Turning her head, she observed their moods, a thought budding in her mind. She had the pizza, so that was a conversation starter.

"Hey." She jumped as they faced her. "I, uh, bought this pizza for everyone."

"We don't need to eat. Our bodies thrive off of the human souls we collect," Pein answered.

Deidara shot up, eyes brimming with excitement. "Pizza? You mean I get to eat too?"

Sasori shook his head, ashamed that one of their kind would act so childish. "Deidara, you're a fool. Why would you actively..." He stopped mid-sentence as the blonde headed to the kitchen, mouth watering. "Idiot."

Violet eyes inspected the meal from their standpoint, the pleasant aroma of melted cheese and garlic-tomato sauce filling Hidan's nostrils. "It doesn't smell like those shitty talismans... I kind of want to try it too."

"I don't think I remember the last time I've actually eaten something," Kisame joined.

Elated that a few chose to dine with her, Sakura provided each one with a plate, serving them a slice. "Now, start at the narrow end," she said, biting into her own piece.

"Deidara, you try it first," Kisame said, half-smirking.

"Yeah, see if it tastes good," Hidan added.

Deidara was fine with that, taking a large bite. From the living room, Pein, Sasori, and Kakuzu side-eyed the event, masking their interest as Deidara savored the flavor.

Arching a brow, Sakura puzzled over his speechlessness. "Do you like it?" she asked, unable to read the look on his face.

Swallowing, his eyes bugged out. "It tastes... just like amrita!"

Sasori stomped in, skeptical. "How would you know what amrita tastes like?! You weren't even born when the demons were banished!"

"You weren't either! And it doesn't matter. This pizza is the best thing I've ever tasted," Deidara exclaimed, eating the rest then sucking the garlic butter off of his fingers.

Kisame and Hidan picked up their plates, biting into their own pieces. Exchanging similar expressions, they continued eating, clearly enjoying it.

"Sakura, can I have more?" Deidara asked.

Barely finishing her first slice, she was asked again by Kisame and Hidan for seconds. "If you like that then you should try my cooking sometime," she mused.

"Really? Could we have some now?" Deidara ran through another slice, finishing in a couple bites.

 _Was his stomach a bottomless pit?_ "I could, but I'll have to head to the store to buy some food. Why don't you come with me?" Realizing her mistake, she corrected herself. "Oh, I guess it'd be strange if it looked like I was talking to thin air. Nobody can see you, but me."

Kakuzu and Pein joined the party in the kitchen. "That isn't the problem. We have the ability to show ourselves to whoever we want at any given time," their leader admitted.

"If you can do that then you can come with me."

Deidara chuckled sheepishly, blowing his hair away from his face in a quick breath - the others mute. Their reluctance to come caused her to wonder what the real problem was. "Are you bound here like the other demons are in Hell?"

"No, we are free to roam the Earth. We've just never found a need to leave this location," Pein answered, crossing his arms. "Indra sends a dove carrying his orders, assuming that we use the gates in Heaven to travel to Hell." Luckily for them, Indra's hatred for demons made for a lack of spying, the man coming to the conclusion that all demons weren't intelligent like the angels.

She looked at him, astonished. "You're telling me that you've never left this house?!"

"He just said that," Sasori commented.

"Then you should definitely come with me. I can show you a few things that I know you'll like!"

"We can't do that. If Indra calls for us-"

Sakura interrupted Kakuzu, pointing at him, "You all still owe me for going into Hell the first time. Remember that bargain?"

"So you do stoop to that sort of indecency," Sasori confirmed.

"Inhuman!" Deidara shouted.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura slapped her hand to her forehead. "Pein said that we would discuss it later... and coming with me to enjoy the city isn't a bad thing!" Turning to the pierced man, she frowned. "Are you going to break your promise? It won't be for all day!"

Pein stiffened as the others faced him, awaiting his response. Bowing his head, he growled, "You're such a nuisance..." Saying something like that, she was practically forcing him to say 'yes'.

Sakura clapped her hands together. "Are you agreeing?'

"You can't be serious," Sasori spoke, stunned.

"Just don't steer too far from the house. We can't have a demon coming through the portal and slaughtering other humans," Pein ordered.

Running to the shelf, Sakura opened the chest, causing the others to react negatively to the charms. "I can just drop one of these on the floor. If they make you sick, I'm sure any other demon wouldn't dare to make a move." Grabbing her purse, she crossed to the door. "I _know_ that you'll have a lot of fun!"

OoOoOOoOoO

She had a plan cultivating in her mind. Although it was bizarre, she desperately wanted a 'normal' day without the fear of the guys running off to fight some monstrous foe. Also, it was an excuse to explore the city. Sakura read a few posts online about the entertainment district, so stopping by there was one of the places she wanted to go.

Taking a gander at their clothing, she immediately suffered from secondhand-embarrassment. "Maybe I should have bought you some clothes to wear..."

Deidara examined himself. "Actually, this is only how you see us. To other humans, we look like typical men."

"What does that mean exactly?"

Bumping shoulders with a stranger, Pein continued beside her, unwilling to move out of anyone's way regardless of their worth. "We adapted our physical forms to blend in with your society. To you, we still look the same because that's how we wish to appear," he explained rationally.

"Where are we going?" Kisame questioned, his eyes resting on every colorful, flashing sign.

Sakura smiled, reading through her phone's navigation app. "Almost there."

Hidan scoffed, "Anything to do with humans is stupid. I'd rather be killing something with my scythe."

Sakura shushed him. "Don't talk like that! If someone heard you-"

"I don't care! Maybe I want them to hear me," Hidan argued. Resting his arms to his sides, he sifted through the crowd, many of the people around them focusing on their phones. "Damn, they're like mindless fuckers!"

"Hidan, refrain from cursing. The Japanese aren't partial to hearing it," Pein ordered, sending Hidan into a huff.

Passing through the crosswalk, Sakura scouted the area, searching the many stores, hostess bars, and restaurants lining the district. Finally finding it, she hurried along, forcing the others to break away from their sightseeing.

"Here it is!" She motioned her hand upward to the sign, 'Ge-mu Bastion', an arcade for reveling customers that enjoy a wide array of games. It was rather large compared to the scanty amount in her hometown, towering above them with four-stories.

Entering through opened doors, the men were exposed to the high-decibel sounds of gunfire and ear-catching music. Lights across the machines flashed in every color imaginable, luring in any victim that would spend their money to play. Customers sat in comfortable bar stools, entranced by their games.

"Where are we...?" Deidara asked in a daze.

Sakura laughed at their awe-struck behavior. "It's an arcade. You come here to play games."

"That's it? Seems a little arbitrary to me," Sasori said, jumping back as a group of teenagers squealed, reading their love signs on an electronic fortune-telling machine.

"Of course it is, that's the whole point. You come here to unwind and relax." Taking out her wallet, she stopped at a large machine, a platform stationed to the floor with two guns. "Hidan, come here. This one's made just for you."

Hidan refused, only to be pushed forward by Kakuzu. In his mind, he didn't want to partake in any of her shenanigans, but being left alone at the house would leave him bored. "What is it?" His voice sharp.

"It's a shooter." Removing the gun from its plastic holster, Sakura presented it to Hidan. "The objective of this game is to fight off any humans that come to attack you."

"How are you supposed to hold this damned thing?" he muttered, fumbling with the grip as the cord wrapped around his arm.

Placing her coins through the slot, Sakura turned to him, readjusting it in his grip and pointing to the trigger. "Keep your sight lined up to the screen and pull the trigger as much as you can." Ominous music began to play through the speakers, the title 'Slayer: Return of the Son' displayed in front of him. "Get ready."

Gathering behind Hidan, five pairs of eyes watched his performance. Immediately, evil laughter rang in their ears of that of the game's protagonist, "Who is ready to die?!"

"Sounds like something we hear every day," Kisame joked.

Suddenly, Hidan jolted up, almost losing the gun in his hand. A barrage of humans were flooding the screen, hitting his character with pitchforks or any other unconventional weapons. Grappling his composure, he focused frontly, slamming his finger onto the trigger. Red splattered from their heads, recorded voices moaning and groaning.

Sakura wasn't fond of these types of games, but she sensed that the cruel, blood-loving demon would get a kick out of it.

"Holy shit, they're putting up a fight," Hidan acknowledged, glancing at his health bar. "Am I dying?"

"Keep firing! You lose if they hit you too much!" Deidara called out, understanding the game quickly.

"Okay, okay," Hidan replied.

His character rarely stopped calling out to his victims, mocking them openly as their bodies fell off-screen. As he ventured forward, the music intensified, a horde of humans appearing on the cobbled street. Holding the trigger, bullets sprayed across the screen, hitting every target he had at his disposal. Monitoring his expression, Pein noticed the sadistic smile plastered on his face.

"I suppose this is an option for you, Hidan. Killing imaginary humans may cease any of your unruliness," he stated.

Sakura dropped a few notes onto the machine. "This should give you a lot of replays. Don't leave the bottom floor and don't hurt anyone, okay?"

Hidan didn't reply, his attention consumed by the game's violence and gore.

"Those aren't the only games they have here, right?" Deidara asked, staring at a few posters of bikini-clad warriors.

Spying a line of gashapon machines, Sakura grabbed Deidara's wrist, yanking him forward. Stopping at the first machine decorated with stickers of popular mascots, she dropped a coin into his palm. "Take this coin and put it here."

"What will it do?" he asked, feeling the metal between his fingers.

She grinned cheekily. "It's a surprise. Go on, do it!"

Inserting the coin into the machine, Deidara pulled on the lever, a whirl of buzzing and springy music playing. A capsule rolled through the maze of tunnels visible to its patrons. Funneling to the bottom, the prize dropped onto the tray.

"This game isn't very interesting," Kakuzu pointed out.

Taking the capsule, Sakura felt annoyed that she had to explain everything. "It's not exactly a game. You drop in some money and a figurine comes out." Unscrewing the lid, she showed off the model - a robot suit from a popular anime. "See?"

"Humans are getting stranger and stranger."

Sakura settled it in Deidara's hands. "Do _you_ like it?"

Sasori smirked, "Are you joking? Deidara's been obsessed with humans for a long time."

"I'm sure he's pissing himself," Kisame stated. "He's finally getting the chance to see everything with his own eyes."

That startled her. A demon interested in human culture? "I didn't know that you liked humans," she exclaimed.

"Well, yeah," Deidara mumbled, "but none of the others care, so I don't talk about it, hm."

Out of the boys, Deidara did seem to be the most cheerful. "Maybe you can come with me every time I go shopping then."

His face brightening, Deidara stared at her with his eyes wide - just like a child. "Really? Would it be okay?" Shifting his attention to Pein, he waited for his permission.

Pein shrugged. "As long as we don't require your assistance, I could care less how you spend your free time."

Growing excited, Deidara shot his fist in the air. "Yes! Yes! I can finally do everything I've always wanted to do now!"

As the blonde danced around, asking Sakura for more coins, Sasori walked to Pein's side, whispering in his ear, "Please, don't tell me you're enjoying yourself."

"Deidara and Hidan are out of my hair... Of course I am enjoying myself," he retorted.

"Pein..."

"Calm yourself, Sasori. There's nothing to worry about." Feeling someone's hand graze over his, he faced Sakura. "What is it?"

"Come on. There are more games upstairs," she said happily.

Leaning over her shoulder, Sasori spoke to the pink-haired girl, "Sakura, how long are we staying here?"

Turning to him, she frowned, a blush forming on her cheeks. "Just a little longer. And don't call me Sakura while in public, call me 'Sakura-chan'!"

" _Sakura-chan_?"

"Yes, I don't want others to get the wrong idea."

"An honorific is so minuscule at this point. Why bother doing such a thing?" he inquired.

"Just do it, okay? It's not going to kill you." Heading towards the next aisle, they left Deidara behind, the blonde enamored by one of the many crane games.

Now with four of them, Sakura led the team upstairs. Flashier games cluttered the second level, a majority of children as their participants. Colorful banners fixed to opposite walls swayed slightly from the air vent constructed into the ceiling.

In the corner, a system with a set of large drums built-in just below the screen grabbed her attention. "Sasori, you have to try this one!"

Dogged towards the wildly popular game, Sasori wrenched his arm from her grasp, attempting to leave. "Forget it. I'm not interested."

Grabbing his wrist again, Sakura brought him back. "Just do it once. Are you that scared of losing?"

Kisame laughed loudly, startling the group of school children behind him. "Ha! Sasori's always been a wet blanket."

Miffed, Sasori glared at the tall, shark-human hybrid. "I am not. Doing trivial things like this aren't worth my time. Deidara and Hidan can do whatever they like, but I'm not going to-"

"Do it, Sasori," Pein ordered, straight-faced.

Sasori furrowed his brow, staring at his leader incredulously. "What? No, I'm not doing it. Pein, you can't-"

"Think of it as a mission. You have to do as I say," he said, interrupting him again.

Defeated, Sasori lumbered to the line, the rest of the crew entertained at the thought of him pushed out of his comfort zone. Quickly, the people ahead of them finished, moving onto the other games in the arcade. Feeding a note into the machine, Sakura held Sasori's hands to the drums.

On the screen, a fox mascot appeared, two drums on each side of it. Raising its paws, 'Ready?' flashed wildly, and the animal began to dance.

"Moronic human culture. What would a fox have to do with hitting drums?" he muttered.

Techno music blared as symbols for the left and right drum rose on the display in a fixed pattern. Initially, Sasori lightly tapped the surface of the drum, the notes passing by unmarked due to the low sensitivity and wear from past players.

"Hey, I hit that one," Sasori exclaimed.

"Hit it harder," Sakura instructed.

Focusing intently, Sasori slapped his hand against the right drum, finally receiving his first mark.

"'Average'? I hit it at the right moment. This faulty machine must not be working," he snapped, agitation filling his tone.

Kakuzu and Kisame stifled their chuckling, enjoying his reactions. His composure was completely lost due to his need for regaining any of his worth from the first half of the game.

A collective 'boo' rang from the speakers as he continued off-rhythm or failing at an attempt for a perfect hit. Once the fox's energy bar ran out, it collapsed, the ending line 'You Lose' covering the screen until it faded to black.

Clenched hands hovering over the drums, Sasori snapped his head towards the girl. "Place more money inside. I'm not losing my dignity to some trashy human invention."

"The first time was enough for him to lose it," Kakuzu joked, his voice hushed as he spoke to Kisame.

Sakura put another note into the machine. Like before, the fox appeared, giving him his signal to start. However, Sasori shifted moods, becoming deathly serious. With each tap, he earned a point. Single thumps, right, left, double, tap, tap, tap!

As he moved toward the next level, the patterns grew more and more difficult. Sakura's eyes never left the screen as he held a long-running hit streak, a mark never left without his hand on the proper drum. A few people emerged, curious at the spectacle. Climbing through the levels, a large crowd had gathered, encircling the machine as Sasori withstood every complex rhythm.

"Look at him go!"

"I've never been on that level before!"

"He's like a robot!"

The sheen of sweat lined his jaw, his movements a blur. Sakura clasped her hands together, truly amazed.

"Sasori, that's remarkable!" He had already broken the record, his hit-streak well over two-thousand.

Suddenly, without any warning to its customers, the lights faltered and the power in the arcade darkened every screen. Flickering back to life, the people groaned, realizing how close he was to the final phase.

Sasori lowered his hands, staring blankly at the game's happy mascot jumping around for someone to insert their money. "I'm leaving."

"But the others-"

Swiveling on his heels, he regarded Sakura with dark, empty eyes - the trademark look of a broken man. "I'm _leaving_ ," he stressed, breaking through the crowd.

OoOoOOoOoO

Prying Hidan from the FPS and urging Deidara that the crane games were a scam, Sakura guided them back towards the grocery store. Nearing the junction, she stopped at the door to her work, a cute chalkboard set up with all of the sales they had during the weekend.

"Say, I want you to meet one of my friends," Sakura decided.

Peering through the large window, Pein raised a brow. "I never suspected someone like you to work in such a place."

"It's temporary," she replied quickly. "Come on in."

Upon entering, some of her co-workers greeted her, only to gape, open-mouthed, at the line of men following behind her. Sauntering to the counter where her blonde, spikey-haired friend sat counting the sake bottles, she tapped the bell.

"Good afternoon! We-" Naruto's eyes shined brightly. "Sakura-chan! What are you doing here?"

One of the girls hooked her arms through Sasori's. "Are these customers?" she asked, winking flirtatiously.

"No, they're my roommates," she stated.

All of her co-workers' faces scrunched up, the idea of Miss Tight-Ass having six attractive men roaming the inside of her house was completely absurd.

" _Th-they're_ your roommates, Sakura-chan?" Naruto smiled nervously, scratching his scalp.

Sakura nodded, introducing each one by name. "They're a bunch of assholes, but we have a lot in common."

"That doesn't sound good for you, Sakura-chan," Naruto responded, uncomfortable with how many eyes were on him.

The girl holding onto Sasori, pressed her breasts against his arm. "If he's just a roommate, does that mean I can have him?"

"You'd regret that," Sakura told her.

She giggled, "I don't think so. Here..." Fishing through the pocket on her apron, she scribbled her number onto the order form. "Maybe you can call me sometime?" she suggested, handing it to him.

Looking it over scrupulously, Sasori crumpled it into a paper ball, dropping it to the floor. "I don't think so. Sakura _-chan_ , if you've had enough fun dawdling, let's move on to our original task." Walking briskly to the door, he continued to gesture towards it. The effects of the arcade still keeping him in a foul mood.

"He totally rejected you, Emi."

Red-faced, Emi scowled at her friend. "Shut up, Otoha!"

Sakura slinked to the door. "Well, I better get going. I'll see you guys on my next shift."

OoOoOOoOoO

After waving to her co-workers, she beckoned for the men to follow her. "No more distractions, I promise." Heading straight to the grocery store.

Inside, all of Hell broke loose. Instead of staying with her each of them, excluding Pein, strayed away to different portions of the store.

"Those idiots! If they run off and mess around with anything, I'll be the one taking the punishment." It was the only supermarket in the city that had the best deals, so getting kicked out wasn't in her mind.

"It's a closed-off space. We're not children, Sakura-chan," Pein said, ears perking at the sound of a baby crying three aisles over.

Hearing them say her name so politely didn't mesh well with her. She was so used to their casual greetings, that the sound grated on her nerves. "Forget what I told you guys earlier... Sakura is much better than 'Sakura-chan'."

Irritated, he glared down at her. "Stop changing your mind so often then, woman. I don't have the patience for people as fickle as you."

Fingers curling around the handle of the basket, Sakura's sight dropped to the linoleum floor. "Pein, do you think that I'm worth bringing to Hell again?"

The sudden question vexed him. "Should we really be speaking about this here?"

"You're right, but it's been /bothering me. I know I'm just a human, but I want to help you," she admitted.

Plucking a box of instant rice from the shelf, he read over the ingredients. "Sakura, may I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"What drives you to help us? We're an opposing force... One day, I'll be the one to take your life. Do you realize this?"

She nodded.

"Then why do you wish to help someone that will end up killing you?"

Standing idly against the shelves, Sakura remained thoughtful for a long while. With a finger twirling around a strand of her hair, she smiled, "You've told me that demons only harness the power - they can't control how a human's death is played out... You're not as bad if I think of you that way, so I don't mind helping you. Also, it's my choice and if I die, I can only blame myself."

Pein was silent, contemplating her words. No matter how much he thought he knew about her, she continued to puzzle him.

"You okay?" The box of instant rice was thrown into her basket. "How did you know what kind I wanted?"

"Sasori can read the minds of mortals. Now, I'd like to get back to the house before dusk..."

"Wait, he can read minds?! Then does that mean that he-"

"Yes, to all of your questions," he broke in.

Sakura's cheeks flared up, self-conscious of any thought that happened to pass through her mind around Sasori. "Has he told you anything?" she pressed, desperately clinging to the hope that he may be bluffing.

"I can recount all the pincushion and nail-face jokes you've thought while I scolded you. Couldn't you have at least tried to be original with your insults?"

Sakura elbowed him. "Those _are_ original! And tell Sasori to stop tattling on me."

"And why would I do something so ridiculous? If you ever made a secret alliance with the angels, he'd be the first to know about it."

"I wouldn't do that anyway," she argued, insulted that he didn't trust her.

"Regardless, it's simply for safe measures. We can't have you disclosing information to anyone about our portal."

Grabbing a few extra boxes of instant rice, Sakura struggled to reach the last one - the item too far back on the shelf. "It's probably too late for that anyway. With how my life's going, I'm probably going to end up in Hell when I die."

"What makes you think that?" Reaching into the shelf, he collected the final box.

"I just thought that working together with demons would be somewhere on their 'zero-tolerance' policy. Besides, I didn't even believe in Heaven or Hell before I met you, so that doesn't help either," she said, half-joking.

"You have time to worry about that later. Purchase all of your groceries, so we can head home."

OoOoOOoOoO

Searching through the entire store for everyone after purchasing her much-needed groceries, they walked home, a few eager to try her cooking.

Due to their badgering, Sakura decided upon fried rice with pork cutlets, handing a bowl to each one. She would have taken more time to prepare a nice, elaborate dish, but the pestering from a certain blonde forced her to resort to something easy.

They all ate (surprising her) and adapted well to using chopsticks, some better than others.

Yawning, Sakura checked the time on her cellphone. "It's only eight and I'm already tired," she said glumly. She felt old.

"Then go to sleep," Pein responded.

A question rose to her mind. "Do you guys sleep?"

With a full mouth, Hidan answered her question, "No, we don't need sleep."

Taking a small bite of her dinner, she gestured towards them with a nod of her head. "That's what you said about eating, but you're doing that right now. I bet you can go to sleep if you wanted to."

"Who would be there to stop a demon from killing you while you sleep? You're completely useless in that state - you would probably die if we weren't highly alert," Sasori chimed in.

"Why don't you sleep right next to it, Sasori? That way, everyone else will wake up while it's attacking you," Sakura shot back.

"Sakura, go to sleep."

Pushing her chair from the table, Sakura trudged up the stairs. "Put your dishes in the sink and the rice in the fridge!" she called out.

"There probably won't be any left," Deidara shouted back.

Closing the door, she heaved a heavy sigh. What was she doing? Wasting an entire day fooling around? She could have easily spent her time reading over the next chapter of her anatomy class.

 _Lately, I haven't even been thinking about school_ , she thought, undressing.

Slipping an oversized shirt over her head, Sakura set her eyes on the scattered papers strewn across her desk. Anatomy, English, Mathematics, Humanities. SOMS was the school of her dreams. She had studied every chance in high school - refusing to enroll in a club just to continue her academics. Every practice test, every after-school lesson was worth it. She was so proud of herself after receiving her entrance exam results.

Slowly climbing into bed, Sakura closed her eyes.

Before falling asleep, her lingering thoughts were comprised of the day's events. In the end, she had wasted a day, but saying that she didn't have fun would be a lie. And, although they didn't admit to it, Sakura believed that the men slinking around downstairs, eating up their dinner, enjoyed their time outside of the house too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, a nice filler chapter. Just wanted to write something peaceful since we'll be advancing the plot soon. :) Demons are still demons, aren't they? ;)


	6. Wise Words

Hands folded behind his back, Indra paced the floor. "Kabuto's death was a tragedy, but let this be a lesson to all of you. Acting against your role will only end in pain. You were born to protect the humans on Earth and to serve the Master - that will always be ingrained into the Holy Law. Undervaluing our sacred text will not be tolerated. We cannot falter under hardship, humans look to us for faith."

"Yes, my lord," they chorused.

Scuffling his bare feet against the black marble, Indra followed through each face of his suboordinates. "I love you all... The Master loves you all. But betrayal is a horrid sin - one of the most potent that any human or angel can commit. To have one of you turn your back on your brothers and sisters grants you absolutely no right to re-enter Heaven's gates."

Itachi's shoulders slackened, reminded of his brother's extreme punishments.

"I've made a decision - one that was very painful to make. Starting now, any angel that turns away from the Master will be given no mercy. At the feet of Our Holy, your blood will be spilled. Are my words clear to you all?"

"Yes, my lord!"

Resting his hand upon a young angel's shoulder, he smiled. "Keep your faith. That's all you have left."

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura could hardly stay awake during her classes. Due to her long weekend, she had forgotten to finish one of her assignments, taking the entire night to complete it.

The fault was her own, she couldn't deny it. They had started on Friday night, receiving a mission from Indra about a group of demons conversing with humans, attempting to coax them into Hell. Pein told her it was often just wasted effort on the demons' part, but a group of teenagers performed a ritual, casting them into their realm.

Apparently, in the western hemisphere, it was becoming quite common (and troublesome) to try and make contact with the dead through a spirit board. More often, they were speaking with demons disguised as their loved ones.

With most cases (although rare), their bodies bonded onto Limbo's plane - most 'rituals' had lost their strength since human sacrifices scarcely occurred. Throughout the first tier, they found not a single sign of the teenagers traveling through.

During their search, Sakura was given the opportunity to use two of her charms, killing a boar demon and a man-faced centipede. She had brought her chest along, disregarding the protests of the others.

Over time, Sakura grew accustomed to Hell and its residents. She was becoming less fearful, but continued to stay close to the group.

Walking into her home, she knew the others wouldn't be there. By Indra's order, they were to continue searching through the tiers. Pein told Sakura that the second tier would be too much for her to bear under the intense heat, so she was forced to depart from the search-and-rescue mission.

Preparing her dinner, she studied the anatomy figures for her upcoming test, simultaneously stirring the contents of her meal.

The demons were becoming an addition to her routine now. Every morning, a select few would wait for breakfast, eating along with her. Most often they were Deidara, Hidan, and Kisame, but Kakuzu and Sasori joined in seldomly.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, she'd come home and prepare lunch. Pein would drop by, informing her of any new mission that would best suit her to participate in. Afterwards, she'd leave for work, Kisame bidding her good luck while tinkering with his sword or the others' weapons.

With dinner, they ate together. Conversations budded from any topic, the majority ending in arguments, but Sakura was learning about each of them as time went by.

She had learned that Pein was the oldest amongst them - born even before the demons' banishment. However, he was trapped in Hell, unable to see Heaven for himself until he was taken under Indra's servantry.

Hidan was the youngest, shy of two centuries old. He boasted that his scythe was won from a bet. After a brawl with several other demons, Hidan collected his prize from the mujina that made the wager - the badger-like demon underestimating his strength.

Reminding her of the offer she made, Sakura brought Deidara along with her to the store as often as their schedules allowed. Roaming through each aisle, he would ask about modern manneurisms and technology - listening to every detail. Being exposed to humans through the few people that rented the home, granted him just a small window into a large, complicated world.

He had grown incredibly interested in figurines, declaring that he would collect every single one at the arcade. Agreeing to keep them in her room, the shelf above her desk was now bestrewed with bishoujo girls, sword-weilding warriors, and cute monsters. He didn't actually care what they were, just that they were easy to acquire.

Sasori and Kakuzu told her stories about fights they shared together. On a certain unspoken day, the two fought against an army of demons after an angel killed their leader. The battle lasted hours upon hours without rest, but they succeeded in their mission, slaughtering each and every one. When they return to that corner of Hell, the same demons often hide in the shadows, reminded of the fray they took part in.

Last week, she spoke to Kisame about his sword, curious about its past. The man claimed that he made it himself, the weapon only responding to his touch. No other person could wield it - not even Pein. He goaded her into lifting it, teasingly adding that they would leave if she could bring it over her head. Using all of her strength, the sword didn't budge, causing both parties to erupt in laughter.

They were slowly growing accustomed to each other and Sakura felt a sense of trust forming among them. Most days, she looked forward to coming home. It came to her as a surprise - the mere thought shocking her. Nonetheless, Sakura always had a smile or hop in her step as she closed in on her house - excited to hear any news or tales about their day. In high school, she took her time walking home, barely on speaking terms with her own parents.

Here, she was allowed to be herself without the worry of being judged.

Adding the curry mix, Sakura felt a draft in the air - a common effect the portal had upon opening.

_Just in time._

Dribbling the curry over their bowls of rice, Sakura hurriedly set them on the table. Stepping in to greet them, she inspected the shine of sweat upon their skin and the tattered condition of their clothes. The smell of ash emanating from them. "Did you find them?" she asked, hopeful.

"We found one, but he's in pretty bad shape," Kakuzu answered, wiping his brow. "The other four were picked clean by a trio of harpies."

Her stomach clenched, saddened by their news. They must have been terrified.

Climbing out of the portal, Pein straightened his posture, a sixteen-year-old boy hanging over his shoulder unconscious. Sakura gasped as she took notice of his partially-eaten leg, the exposed bone and tissue making her feel ill. To live through his friends' gruesome deaths and the addition of witnessing demons planning to devour him must have traumatized him greatly, forcing his body into shock and completely shutting down.

Treading to the other side of the room, Pein picked up the scroll Indra left in his care. It was a travelling tool. Once opened, Pein would be directely transported to the angel's chambers. There, Indra and his servants would begin a healing circle, wiping his memory and dropping him back to Earth safely.

"I'll go alone."

"Would you like me to keep your curry warm?" Sakura shouted, returning to the kitchen.

"Don't bother. Let the others eat it." Unrolling the scroll, Pein's physical body vanished in a blazing light.

Sakura sat by Deidara on the couch, her bowl cradled in her lap. "What's Indra like?" she asked, curious.

Deidara stuffed his mouth full of rice. "Indra is an asshole. He's always going on about how stupid and horrible demons are, but when it comes time for us to do his dirty work, he puts on this nice-guy face for Pein."

"Are all angels like that?"

"No, but the majority are. We don't really have the chance to talk to them, hm," he replied.

She understood that there would be some sort of imbalance between demons and angels, but she had no way of comparing them.

They were disclosing more information to her, accepting that she was becoming a trusted ally, but Sakura knew that it wasn't enough. She was digging up a mountain with her bare hands, fingers just uncovering the first layer of rock and stone.

They had made her part of their world, something beyond a human's understanding. There was some ruling force called the Master that created them, and demons and angels that had equal powers over them until the former had theirs taken away.

And there was so much that she _didn't_ know.

Why would the Master take away the demons' powers? Being exposed to the others, they seemed neutral rather than malicious - except Hidan.

 _If only they would tell me more_ , she thought.

OoOoOOoOoO

He passed through the large corridor, two guides leading him around the hall. Entering the large chamber, a circle of angels surrounded an ancient alter, Indra hovering at the door. With the snap of his fingers, the guides snatched the boy from Pein's grasp.

"I have another mission for you," Indra declared.

Pein frowned. They had just finished one, when would they receive a break? "What is it?"

"Follow me and we'll discuss it."

Walking together, a safe distance between them, angels in passing grimaced or whispered to each other, directing any of their negativity towards Pein. They hated having a demon inside their sacred realm, it tainted the air they breathed.

"A nest of demons are organizing a coup d'etat, attempting to overthrow Heaven and kill the Master," Indra said, taking a goblet presented to him.

The servant scowled at Pein, running away to cater to other angels. "How do you know about this? Did Sasuke inform you?" The kid had been in Hell with Orochimaru for such a long time, it made sense that he would learn about some of the demons' plans.

Indra didn't answer him, taking a long drink of the fresh wine. Murmurs of Indra's peers ceased as they turned the corner, heading through the gates.

"Teach them what it means to act against us, Pein."

It was odd of Indra to say something of that sort. Indra never associated with demons unless he had to, so including Pein in his group of ever-loving, narcissistic angels bristled him. "Why do you want me to do this?"

Indra licked the wine from his lips. "An explanation isn't necessary. All you have to do is follow my orders." He carried a sharpness to his tone that pissed off the demon beside him.

Asking him was a futile effort now. No matter how many times Pein pushed him for answers, Indra never replied.

Leaving him with the mission's orders scripted onto a note, Indra stepped back to the heart of Heaven where his angels continued to heal the boy.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura awoke to a firm hand roughly shaking her shoulder. Angrily batting it away, she threw her pillow over her head. "Go away. I'm too tired to go on another mission," she whined, her voice barely audible.

Throwing her blankets off and tearing the pillow from her tight grip, Pein shook her again. "Hurry up and get your charms ready."

"Why do I need to go?" Sakura tried to pull her covers back. "You don't need me for every mission that Indra gives you."

"You're right. It was foolish of me to think that you could be of some use." Pein expected Sakura to jump up, protesting that her abilities were just as powerful as their ridiculous superstrength and rusted weapons.

Instead, Sakura remained in bed, closing her eyes. "Maybe next time," she drawled, easily falling back to sleep.

Yelling out, she thrashed in Pein's arms as he carried her down the stairs - the others waiting impatiently.

"Damn, you went to bed at nine. Shouldn't five hours of sleep be enough for you?" Hidan said, spinning the rounded base of his scythe on the floor.

Sakura, fully awake, slapped her hand to Pein's chest. "I swear, you guys are so annoying! This better be for a demon that drank angel's blood or something!" Waking her up after such a deep sleep left her grumpy and she wasn't going to play pretend and act nice.

Pein was unfazed by Sakura's agitation. "That's what we're expecting. Indra didn't give me the information I needed, so I'm bringing you with us for additional security."

"So you're guessing?! I'm too tired to do this." When Sakura's sleep was interrupted, everyone had to suffer along with her.

"I'm not going to waste my time coming back here in case we have to deal with an invincible demon," Pein said.

Sluggishly gimping to the shelf, Sakura grabbed the chest. Walking to their leader, she allowed him to scoop her up into his arms.

The faster they can complete the mission, the faster she can return to bed.

OoOoOOoOoO

Inside, Hell was just the same as it always appeared - dark, gloomy, and miserable for the dead sentenced to eternal pain. Karin greeted them with the typical insult and pushed them towards their shortcut.

"Who is this demon that you'll be fighting?" Sakura asked.

"I don't plan to fight him. Firstly, I'll approach him, attempting to ease any qualms they have against Indra and settle him down," Pein corrected.

Sakura winced as the heat from Tier-Two kissed hot, whipping winds over her body. "Why can't you just kill them? Or let me?"

"It's a nest, so there will be many there. And killing demons isn't a sport; we don't have fun slaughtering our own kind," Pein answered, his tone like that of a parent scolding a child.

A twinge of shame emerged inside of her. She had momentarily forgotten that these creatures - no matter how violent and revolting - were still related to Pein and the others. Being with them constantly had caused her to forget they were the same, they were not humans.

"Sorry," she mumbled, sweat trickling into her eyes as the intensity of the heat increased.

Pein knew where he needed to go. The one called 'Zetsu' had apparently organized the coup. On that note, Zetsu's nest was rather large, the entire abode spanning along the fifth tier of Hell. He had an army ready, so it was a possibility that someone like him would consider attacking Heaven. What demon wouldn't? If Pein had the resources and strength, he wouldn't hesitate to fight Indra, force his way through to the Master, demand the demons to have their powers given rightfully back, and unlock the ones imprisoned into the Earth's core. Not too much to ask for.

Skin reddening, Sakura clutched the box to her chest, biting her tongue as the painful blisters budded over her bare flesh. Further down, the heat dissipated, dropping in temperature and Sakura relaxed again.

"Why would they attack Indra now?" she asked, blowing her unbrushed hair out of her face.

"I'm not fully aware. That's why I'll be asking."

Suddenly, Sakura felt violently ill, a toxic smell pervading the air. They must be traveling through the fourth tier. Her throat tightened, a hand to her mouth. The contents of her stomach churned, threatening to rise through her esophagus.

They hadn't traveled far enough last time for Sakura to be exposed to the rancid smell of rotting flesh and other disgusting odors on the level, so her reaction alarmed him.

"Are you going to vomit?" he asked, steering her body away from his.

She shook her head - although her mouth laxed, the opening into her throat widening. She pulled herself over his shoulder, puking.

"You couldn't hold it in?" Agitation heard in his tone.

"Shut up," she said gruffly. "I feel like shit already for not getting enough sleep. It's not my fault that you're taking me down through the portal without any warning!"

"You're intolerable."

"I can't help it!"

Hearing their squawking, Kisame cupped his hands around his mouth, his back to the darkness below them. "Hey! The two of you sound like an old married couple!"

"Pein's already an old man, so he fits the bill perfectly," Deidara declared, joining in Kisame's fun.

"Sakura acts like an old woman, so she's just right too," Kakuzu added.

Sakura didn't appreciate jokes in her exhausted state. "I do not act old!" Seriously, how could they carry themselves without sleep; she was on the verge of screaming and ripping her hair out.

"It's not a bad thing. People will just think you're boring," Deidara claimed.

Sakura refused to snap at them, knowing that they would continue to pester her. This wasn't the best time. She was too tired, unable to focus. Hopefully she'd have enough energy when they meet the demon Pein's supposed to speak with.

OoOoOOoOoO

Through the portal's rigid walls, they entered the fifth tier. Demons ruled over the sinners, looming over them on giant monoliths - the stones fractured and misshapen with age. Some were human-like, their features pronounced just as her housemates. The others were fairly abnormal, ranging from a typical animal's or a creature completely unrecognizable.

The damned inside of Tier-Five carried large slabs of gold or other precious, valuable metals upon their backs - some had ropes tied to their waists, gnawing into their abdomens as they frantically dragged themselves through the muck of the earth.

Traveling by, Sakura dropped her head, avoiding to stare any of the demons directly in their eyes.

One with the head of a wolf and the body of a man lashed one of his victims of greed, striking it until it moved forward with the burden of its desires. Turning, its slitted eyes caught sight of the human girl.

"Kakuzu, Kakuzu. New meat, eh? Give her to me. My hands are aching for something to strangle!"

Kakuzu lifted his hand, waving the demon off. "Get lost."

A beak-faced demon flew down from the stone, trodding by with the group. "What are you doing with a human, Pein? Another sacrifice? Haven't had one of those in over a thousand years... Not a serious one, anyway."

Pein remained silent, although the demon didn't seem perturbed by his aloof demeanor. "If you're going to kill her, throw her body to us."

"Shut the hell up," Hidan growled.

"What? Do you plan on eating her?" it spouted.

"Have you eaten humans before?" Sakura asked, immediately pushed forward by Kisame.

"Don't talk to them," he murmured.

Interested, the beak-faced demon continued on with them, forgetting its original tasks. Its talons clawed into the overturned soil, peeking at Sakura through the circle of demons protecting her. Scratching at its feathers, it plucked a few from its chest.

"What's your name?" Kisame elbowed her - hard.

"Fukuro," it answered. "Are you bound to them by some sort of contract, human?"

Pein knocked his fist across the beaked demon's head. "Return to your post. Now."

Rubbing its head, Fukuro scurried away, yelling out curses towards Pein and his group.

"You shouldn't converse with them, Sakura. It's dangerous." Pein held his position in the front of the group, closing in on Zetsu's nest.

"He didn't seem that bad. I'm cautious. It's not like I jumped out and left myself open to an attack." Why did they always feel the need to order her around? She knew what she was doing.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sounds of buzzing and beating wings reverberated faintly in Sakura's ears. Catching her eyes over the corner of the rocky wall, Sakura released a gasp.

Flying beetles, sizes varying between large and 'the-size-of-a-car' large, rampantly darted around. Moving Sakura back, Pein motioned for the others to stay behind.

Stepping away from the cliff, Pein headed towards the nest - a large, mud-claddened hive climbing higher than Sakura's home, stretching even farther beyond the darkened skyline. Beetles brushed against him, their hard shells knocking into his chest and limbs.

Sakura nestled forward, just enough for her eyes to see. A man stood, his skin divided evenly between white and black. Teethed lobes protruded from the base of his neck, guarding the opposing sides of his head.

His yellow eyes set upon Pein. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been sent by Indra."

A beetle dropped onto Zetsu's back, crawling around to his abdomen. The demon placed a hand upon its shell, his sight falling to the damage of its exoskeleton. "Are you here to participate in their 'fun'?" He glowered at the man a short distance away from him. " **Have you come to shed more of my childrens' blood?** " His pitch lowered two octaves, a rasp clinging to his voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Zetsu. I'm just here to confirm whether or not you're planning to attack Heaven and kill the Master," Pein said.

Zetsu stomped forward, the insect flying away and joining the others cycling through the air. Pushing himself into Pein's face, he revealed the anger bubbling inside of him. "Your angel friend brought his kin down here to kill my children. The wretched thing claimed that our numbers were growing too high and said he was just discarding some ' _trash_ '."

Indra killed demons? What a disturbing statement. In most cases, Indra often sent Pein to take care of any agressions, but to attack a family of demons without reason? "What are you saying? Indra sent me here because you initiated a conflict," Pein addressed.

" **You and I know that he isn't exactly fond of demons, Pein**."

"Accusing him of killing for his own trivial pursuits though? Indra sends me to deal with demons."

"I've told you that he wished to decrease our numbers. He's probably sending you down here to cause greater tension," Zetsu responded.

Pein didn't like this. If Indra sent him down to Hell to act against his own kind and cover up the countless murders he performed then Pein would be a fool. And Pein was not a fool.

"Answer me, Zetsu. Are you organizing a coup against Heaven or not?" Pein refused to believe that Indra would create false information. He hated the angel, but being played with like a toy wasn't an option.

Zetsu was _wrong_.

The swarm overhead clouded the skies, flying furiously around them. Zetsu cocked his head back, raising his arms. "I've come to accept your origins, Pein. But if you continue to blindly follow Indra deliberately then I have no qualms against fighting you." The sky blackened with the swarm overshadowing the grey tones. " **My children are grieving and they won't mind killing you however many times they deem fit.** "

The beetles swept over Pein, speedily crashing against him with their blunt horns. Wielding his partizan, he deflected them, slashing at others that he couldn't maneuver away from in time.

The rest of the group joined in the battle, Sakura gathering her charms. There were so many of them and she had to be careful not to target any of her comrades by mistake. Removing one, Sakura ripped the silk cloth from her charm, a trio of beetles immersed in its sacred power. Others evaded her, the power shielding her from any attacks. Their bodies eroding into ash, Sakura fished for more of her charms, using them as several beetles locked onto her.

Seventeen, sixteen... thirteen, twelve... nine, eight...

 _There are too many of them. Their numbers have to be over thirty thousand!_ Sakura was down to six charms, hesitating whether she could continue to fight.

Pein surveyed Sakura, debating on a retreat. The portal was quite the distance away and they were endangering her as time passed.

Dropping the chest, Sakura held the remaining omamori in her hands, accepting that she was now part of their group. She had to fend for herself.

Warding a group of twenty beetles simultaneously, Sakura gathered another. From behind, a beetle hurled itself to the ground, scattering her charms several feet away. Collecting them, another beetle crashed into her, its horn ramming her shoulder and pushing her to the ground with incredible force.

She was too stubborn to allow overgrown bugs win against her. Inching towards her charms, another insect attacked her. Widening her gait, Sakura brought her hands to her chest, grappling onto its horn before it made contact. Wrestling with it, Sakura kicked at its underside, her bare feet pushing through its sensitive belly. Fluid leaked from its wound and the beetle clawed its two-fingered appendages into her ankle. Now weakened, Sakura gained the upperhand, rolling it onto the ground and dropping her foot deeper into its body.

Kisame swung Samehada through a wall of insects in front of him. Glancing at the girl, he was deeply impressed. "She's doing pretty well-" He blocked an attack from opposing sides, his leg outstretched to kick away an enemy in front of him and his sword slicing through three attempting to stab through his back.

Pein agreed that she was holding her own, but without her charms, she was left defenseless. Due to her lack of sleep and the small amount of strength she held, Sakura wouldn't last. If he knew that Zetsu's 'children' were upset then he wouldn't have bothered bringing her. Now, she was posing as a walking, mortal target.

"We're going to have to head back," he announced.

Her foot was covered in the clear fluid, disgusting her. She shook it off, sending the insect's blood in various directions. To her left, one of her omamori lay. Sakura rushed towards it, picking it up into her hands.

Pein called to the girl, his voice ringing out over the whirl of buzzing and metal clashing against the beetles' shells. "Sakura, gather the chest and move away. There are too many of them to continue fighting as long as you're present."

Sakura was fine with that. Killing one with just her foot satisfied her. Sprinting to the chest, a beetle followed her. She could hear it approaching, so Sakura took action. Circling around, she bashed the chest against its head, the flying insect dropping to the ground. With her attention captured by her opponent another beetle flew down, unaware to her as she stood predisposed.

Pein barely caught it in his peripheral vision, but he was too far away to reach her in time. "Kisame!"

Kisame lept forward, pumping his legs to close in on the girl. "Sakura, get out of the fucking way!" he snapped.

Sakura instinctually jolted up, attempting to evade the incoming attack. The beetle changed directions automatically, nearing the girl. She hurried to meet with Kisame, gathering all of her energy to make it to him.

She reached out to him with open arms, the man grabbing hold of her. By the time he pulled her behind him, the beetle had made it to the pair. The enhanced speed and strength made it impossible for Kisame to stop it, forcing its dagger-like horn through Kisame's abdomen. He had worse happen to him, so the demon could care less about the pain.

"Fucking piece of shit." He crushed his fist against its head, killing it.

Turning over his shoulder, he began to console Sakura, "Don't worry. This is just a-" His words were cut short as the pink hue of her face paled. Peering down, he hadn't realized the beetle's horn drove through his body, piercing Sakura's as well.

Trembling hands clasped around the horn. Pain seared through the wound like fire, the organs receiving damage while throbbing tremendously. Blood rose to her throat, spilling from her lips and dripping off of her chin. She stared down, glassy-eyed at the red staining her night shirt. Droplets spotted her hands, speckling her pale skin.

Kisame didn't dare to move. "Pein!"

Pein faltered as his eyes fell over Kisame, understanding what had happened. He hadn't the foggiest idea of Sakura's state, but Kisame would never call out to him by his first name in such a way.

"Fall back! We're retreating now!" Racing to Kisame's location a hand wound around his wrist.

"He's hiding something, Pein. **Keep your back towards him and that bastard won't bat an eye over your bloody corpse.** "

Raging, Pein propelled the man back with his partizan, Zetsu's body colliding into the wall of his nest. "I have more important matters to deal with."

Reaching the pair, Deidara gasped audibly, his hands running through his hair in an exasperated manner. "Fuck, fuck. What happened?"

"Why didn't you use your sword, Kisame?!" Sasori growled, picking up the chest Sakura dropped after being impaled.

"It's not my fucking fault! I didn't know that she was that close to me!" Kisame hollered, trying to remain still as to not disturb her.

"Is she going to die?" Deidara fretted.

Pein met with them, cutting the beetle away with the horn still intact. "We can't remove the horn until we're in a safe place." Removing a scroll from the pouch strapped around his waist, Pein unravelled it. "We'll return to Limbo and have Kakuzu stitch up the wound. Afterwards, we'll drop her off at one of the hospitals on Earth."

Sakura's eyelids drooped, beginning to lose consciousness. Her vision darkened, her head dipping. Their voices became muffled, as if she dipped her head underwater. 

Deidara held his hands around her as she couldn't carry her own weight any longer. "Hurry up, Pein!"

In a rush of wind, they disappeared, leaving the fifth tier.

OoOoOOoOoO

Her eyelids fluttered open, the girl barely having the strength to turn her head. Her stomach ached, the pain lingering just above her navel. Green eyes drifted to the woman looming above her.

"So you're awake." Tsunade crept closer, brushing her bangs out of her face.

"Am I at home?" Her voice was weak, throat stinging.

Tsunade placed a straw into a bottle of water, cradling her hand underneath Sakura's head to help her drink. "Yeah, but you spent a week in the hospital."

Did she hear her correctly? A week?!

She choked on the water, coughing while the pain in her stomach intensified.

The door creaked open, Pein and the others filling the vacant space of her bedroom. "How is she?"

"Better than what she was. She's talking coherently now," Tsunade answered.

Sakura's brow creased, realizing that Tsunade was _speaking_ to _Pein_. She knew him. "So you're a demon too..."

Tsunade peered down at her, chestnut eyes filled with surprise. "Huh?! No, I'm not a demon. I'm human."

"Then how do you know who they are? How can you see them?" Right now, nothing made sense to her.

"We sort of made a deal. Give or take ten years, I've rented this place out, got the money, and let these guys scare out my tenants. Since my contract claims that I get to keep the money before their first year is finished, I've raked in a lot of cash this way."

Sakura scrunched up her nose, angry that she believed in someone so distrustful. "Are you sure you're not a demon?"

"Be thankful. Tsunade acted as your guardian while you were hospitalized," Pein said.

"That doesn't change the fact that she was swindling people out of their money," Sakura argued back.

Tsunade shrugged her shoulders, pursing her lips. "I've got to make money somehow. And it's not like you were going to leave. Usually, it only takes a month for someone to pack up and run for the hills. I never expected you to make friends with these guys."

That was true, but Sakura was still angry. Did she really miss a week's worth of school?

Tsunade popped her neck, rubbing a tight kink in her left shoulder. "Since you're breathing and awake, I'll guess that you're doing fine and get out of your hair. Your doctor's orders are on your desk and you have a check-up in a few days, so don't forget." Passing the others, she escaped Sakura's room, the sound of the front door's latch clicking shut as she left.

"Did you stop the coup from happening?" Everything was foggy to her, the only thing she clearly remembered was the feeling of the beetle's horn stabbing through her body.

"No, we had to retreat," Pein answered.

Deidara lifted the blanket, eyeing the stitches and clear bandages taped over the skin of her stomach. "It took them forever to stop the bleeding, but they did a good job."

"You were at the hospital?"

"We all were," Kakuzu stated.

Sakura closed her eyes, trying her best to remember the fight in Hell. It eased her mind that they were with her the entire time.

Deidara skimmed her bare stomach, causing the girl to startle. "Kisame, it's just like yours - except the stitching is much cleaner."

"Shut your mouth," Kakuzu stated, offended.

Turning her head, she set her eyes on Kisame. "You were the one that tried to protect me from the beetle," she remembered.

Kisame raised his tunic, exposing the threads stitched into his stomach, sealing his wound. "Yeah, but I wasn't expecting it to go all the way through." He turned to show her the stitches on his lower back. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. If you weren't there..." Her voice trailed off, finding herself with tears suddenly rolling down her face.

"You're crying," Deidara noticed becoming alarmed. Had he hurt her?

It hit her like a bag of bricks. She was _stabbed_. She was sent to the hospital - close to death. Was this the point where she realized how insignificant she was? Kisame received the front of the attack, but he was walking aroud - he didn't even need medical attention. Their bodies were different and she wasn't capable of fighting with them without her charms. She held no service for them. They had to retreat solely because of her.

"We could have continued fighting," Sasori started, "but your life is much more important than taking care of some overgrown husk."

"But the coup-"

"May not have even happened. Stop doubting your worth, Sakura. You're just as much a member of this team as the rest of us. You may be fragile, but you're irrationally brave and stubborn. I never expected you to put up much of a fight, but you've done well," Pein assured.

"You think of me as part of your team?" she asked, astounded. "I thought you didn't trust me."

"I don't." He frowned as her expression withered. "Don't take it personally. I barely trust these fools either."

Hidan whipped his head, bearing his teeth. "What the fuck?! You're acting pretty soft for a leader!"

"Now that you mention it, Pein's mood has changed a lot recently," Kakuzu puzzled.

Deidara sat at the foot of the bed. "Is our leader falling in love with a human?" His snickering turned into a yelp as Pein cut the tip of the blonde's nose with his partizan.

"I am not in love. Say anything more and I'll cut your skulls in half." The words were heavy, his eyes leering down threateningly.

Sakura couldn't laugh, but she found it amusing. "Pein's got a crush. How cute."

He dropped his partizan into his sash, staring daggers at the girl. Bending forward, he firmly pressed his open palm onto her stomach. "Shut your mouth, little ass. I just paid you a compliment and you return it with something like that?"

She sucked air through her teeth. "Fuck, stop it. Okay, sorry!" Standing upright, the man headed to the door. "Where are you going, bastard?"

"I'm going to see Indra. I need to speak with him about something urgent." He gestured to the men in the room. "Take care of her for me."

Sakura laid back, breathing through her nose. Pein was such a prick, but she already felt much better than when she woke up.

Hidan snorted, " _Take care of her for me...'_ "

"Like you could take care of anyone," Kakuzu said, blatantly insulting him.

The silver-haired demon scowled at his partner. "Fuck off! I don't want to take care of her anyway!" he yelled.

Deidara didn't mind. To him, it was just another opportunity to learn more about humans. "I'm fine with taking care of her. Sakura, tell me what you need."

"I can relieve any stress in your mind," Sasori offered.

"Let me take care of your wound. I caused it to happen, so I don't mind making the process easier for you," Kisame added.

Hands fumbled over her face and upper body. "No, it's okay! I just need to sleep!"

"Then we'll leave you alone. Just holler if you feel like you're dying again or something," Kisame said, joining the others at the door.

Sliding into a comfortable position on her bed, Sakura yawned, rubbing at her eyes. What a turn-around. They didn't meet on the best terms - no, she absolutely despised them. But now? She was seeking their approval over everything. Was she good enough? Was she strong enough? What could she do better? How could she protect herself?

And they accepted her. They believed in her abilities and they (mostly) didn't look down on her because she was human. The longer she stayed with them, the more she wanted to know. Of all the people she met, she felt connections that far outweighed her own flesh and blood with them. What would cause her to feel this way?

 _You're lonely_ , she thought to herself. _But they're lonely too._

Sakura didn't understand them and, at first, she didn't feel the need to. What would have happened that day if she hadn't found that 'For Rent' sign?

_You wouldn't have suffered from a giant beetle. There would have been a very slim chance of you meeting Naruto and finding a job due to your absentminded inner rant. And you still wouldn't believe in demons and angels._

But her life wouldn't have been as interesting, would it? She lived through something stabbing her, so what could be worse?


	7. Monitored

In the bright, crowded hall, Sasuke slumped against the wall. his eyes shifting through the faces of his judgemental peers. Sentenced to public humiliation under Indra's order - namely to show the repercussions of falling into sin - left him feeling trapped yet again.

"Sasuke, would you like something to eat?" Itachi asked gently.

Bowing his head, Sasuke's wispy bangs fell over his eyes. "Indra has forbidden me from taking part in meals."

"Lord Indra," Itachi corrected, immediately regretting his words.

Pain and anger encompassed his brother's eyes, his muscles tightening as his arms crossed over his chest. Turning his head away, Sasuke realized even his brother felt nothing for him.

"The pet of your lord would say something like that, wouldn't he?" he remarked, struggling with his words.

"Don't say that. If Lord Indra were to hear you-"

"I don't care," he hissed, his voice a whisper to avoid eavesdroppers.

Itachi pulled away - his expression of a helpless man. It was tearing him apart. He failed to save his brother from his sins, he failed to gather the courage against Indra for a lesser punishment, and he failed at understanding Sasuke entirely. Why would his brother find security in Hell? Heaven was a blessed place, safe and filled with splendid miracles.

They were righteous while the muck in Hell barely scraped by. Sasuke's mind must have been clouded by something... if only he could figure it out.

"Sasuke, why-" His words were cut short as Sasuke's figure shrank in size, a shadow appearing behind him catching his attention.

Turning, Itachi bowed. "Lord Indra, how may I serve you?" He heard the sigh escape his brother's lips - an obvious sign of Sasuke's disappointment.

"Itachi, come along. We need to discuss our plans for the brigade forces. As of now, the gate Pein created has been sealed, so organizing our angels to their appropriate tasks will need your guidance, as well." Indra refused to acknowledge Sasuke, the beginning of his shunning period for the young man.

An outbreak of calls and shouting tore them away from their conversation. Indra only smirked at the familiar sight.

Angels yelled at the demon, ordering him back, but refused to touch him. They scurried around him as he locked eyes with Heaven's predecessor. Scuffing the polished marble flooring with his dirty, leather boots, Pein faced the man he held little respect for. On a usual day, he was invited, but the questions in his mind after his altercation with Zetsu ate away at him.

_'He's hiding something, Pein. **Keep your back towards him and that bastard won't bat an eye over your bloody corpse**.'_

"What a surprise... I didn't call for you," Indra stated, the greeting no different than anything on a typical day.

"We need to talk," Pein said.

Indra smiled impishly, toying with Pein's festering rage. "Of what?"

"I'm sure that you're aware."

Itachi looked over his shoulder, his brother further away from the crowds of angels nearby. Pushing his attention back to Indra and Pein, he was slightly confused. He hadn't been informed of Indra's recent request, but it obviously didn't sit well with the head demon.

"Is it true that you sent angels to reduce that clan's numbers?" Pein questioned.

Indra shook his head, chuckling. "Why is that of any importance? You've never questioned my orders before."

Clenching his fists, Pein's body trembled with the overgrowing rage building up inside of him. Evading the question, a typical move played by an angel. They couldn't lie since that would be a sin, so dancing around the truth was immensely common.

"Did you tell me of the coup because you knew that killing members of his clan would result in an uprising you couldn't handle?"

"Please, Pein. Don't delve into something you won't under-"

"Tell. Me. _Now_."

Slowly, Indra's amusement faded, transforming into a sinister expression with eyes shrouded in darkness.

"And what would you do if I did?" His voice ran with an icy indifference, pricking the hairs on the nape of Pein's neck upright.

Pein leapt forward, his fist reeled back. Hands swiftly grappled onto him like chains, throwing him to the ground and pinning him as he continued to struggle. Walking towards him, Indra kicked Pein's hand away.

"Attempt to attack me in Heaven? What a laughable thing for you to perform. How often do I wonder why the Master created things like you... You were born as poison, slowly killing anything within your reach. Just malformed, hopeless creatures that serve no purpose. That's what you are and how you always will be."

"They were his children!" Pein exclaimed, breathing roughly through his nose.

"Children? You mustn't believe that. Like I've told you, demons are savages, left with the lust for destruction. You'll never share the same perspective as an angel," Indra spoke callously.

Pein turned his head, eyes trailing up to Indra. "Maybe that's a good thing." Having to listen to their dull conversations and being exposed to their prudent ways would cause him to self-destruct. It came to him as no surprise when Sasuke escaped.

Heaven was the real Hell.

The angel looked away, ordering his comrades to release the demon. They eyed him warily, but Indra insisted. "Go on, he's no threat. Pein knows his place."

Knocking one of the lingering hands from his body, the demon glared ferociously - barely subduing the powerful urge to rip out the angel's tongue. Tension was growing higher and their once-shared indifference was transcending into unwavering animosity.

Pein refused to be played as a fool any longer. If Indra wanted his assistance then he had to beg forgiveness on his knees.

"Don't bother reaching out to me for missions," he announced, circling on his heels to the exit beyond Heaven's gates.

"You'll deliberately refuse orders?" Indra remarked, greatly displeased.

Without a response, the demon vanished and the crowd quickly dispersed. Grabbing Itachi's shoulder roughly, Indra forced the young man to face him completely. "Itachi, do you recall the night of Sasuke's return?"

"I do, Lord Indra," Itachi said, hesitant.

"You stated that you 'were indebted to my kindness', correct?" Indra granted him a devious smile.

Anxious, Itachi wondered what their leader could be planning. "Yes, Lord Indra. Those were my words."

Leaning forward, Itachi could feel his hot breath as Indra spoke quietly, "Then understand that I have a favor that you can't refuse..."

OoOoOOoOoO

Deidara knocked on Sakura's door, opening it moments later. "Did you talk to your school leader?" he asked, toting a tray filled with an assortment of breakfast items.

"Headmaster," she corrected. "And, yes, I'll have one of their assistants sending my assignments over later."

"Why is school so important anyway? Humans didn't care about school before, so why now, hm?" He carefully set the tray across her lap.

Sakura grimaced as a strange aroma filled her nostrils - something too bitter and sweet. "Deidara, what is this?"

"A bunch of things. I don't know how to cook so I threw all of this together for you," he replied, proudly displaying his confidence.

Using the knife he charitably bestowed her with, Sakura's frown deepened as the 'mystery breakfast' squished beneath the dull edge of the utensil. "I'll have to eat this later. I'm... not very hungry right now."

"Suit yourself. Call me if you need anything."

As he strode away to the door, Sakura called out to him, "Deidara, wait. I want to ask you something."

"What?"

"It's about the whole Zetsu thing... Did Pein go to visit Indra because of it? Why would Indra murder an innocent family like that?" If Indra was responsible for the outburst, fully over his own selfishness, then Sakura fully blamed the ignorant angel for her near-death experience.

Deidara hunched his shoulders and plastered a crooked smile onto his face. "Don't worry about it, Sakura." Closing the door behind him, he left her alone in the empty, quiet room.

She hated it. If she was a supposed member of their team, why didn't they include her? Perhaps she wasn't as important as they said and played it up to make her feel better after the attack.

 _They probably felt guilty that I got hurt,_ she thought bitterly.

But to be left in the dark wasn't something that suited her - knowingly, of course. She had to make someone tell her, but in her weakened state, she didn't pose as someone to be taken seriously.

_Do they even think I'm worthy to be one of them? Were all of their words just a way at shutting me up?_

OoOoOOoOoO

Entering the living area through a stream of bright light, Sasori hurried to Pein's side, a troubled look shading his face. "Pein, I can sense a higher presence approaching steadfast. It's not one of our kind."

"Most likely someone Indra sent down," Pein guessed.

Kakuzu stood from the couch, wandering to the two near the kitchen's archway. "That was fast. What did you do to ruffle his feathers?"

"I refused missions. Nothing too severe."

"Indra doesn't think so," Sasori responded briskly.

"What do we do?" Deidara asked.

Pein turned his sight to the stairwell. "Sasori, how long do we have until it arrives?"

"A few minutes-" Sasori was interrupted as Pein climbed the stairs, reaching Sakura's room.

Throwing the door open, he startled the girl from her nap while simultaneously spilling the tray off of her bed and splattering the 'food' onto the floor. "Sakura, I need to explain something, so listen carefully."

She showed her displeasure with his crude actions by throwing her pillow. "Stop interrupting my sleep, asshole!"

"One of Heaven's elite are approaching the house," he replied.

Sakura's eyes widened. "What are they coming here for?"

"I don't have time to share details."

You never do, she thought angrily.

"What I want you to do is very simple. Pretend to go about your daily life without showing any knowledge of our existance. We'll camoflage ourselves, so you won't be able to see us, but do not call out to us or show that you are aware. Understood?"

Sasori entered the room carrying the sacred chest. "Since it's most likely coming for us, I'll store this in your room." Opening one of her chest of drawers, Sasori stuffed the artifact with her undergarments and nightwear.

"Why do I need to pretend like I've never met you? Wouldn't it be better if I showed him that humans and demons can coexist semi-peacefully?" she asked.

"Absolutely not. If it was revealed that your injury was caused by our carelessness then things may become dire," Sasori said. His eyes pierced through the ceiling, squinting. "It's almost here. We need to camouflage."

Pein looked down at Sakura, a gleam of impatience shining in his eyes. "Do as I say and act like a normal human."

"No! I can help you! Just let me!"

"You would only become a hindrance, Sakura. If you want to help, do so by not helping." The two erased themselves from her sight, closing her door as they traveled to the heart of the house.

_Hindrance, huh? That's what I really am to you! She clenched her teeth. I'm not one of you at all!_

OoOoOOoOoO

Itachi landed gracefully with bare feet brushing through the blades of uncut grass. He fazes through the anterior wall of her home, the group of demons already waiting for his appearance.

"What inane task did Indra send you on, Itachi?" Pein stood firmly, squaring his shoulders.

"That's Itachi? He looks different!" Deidara exclaimed.

"How the fuck do you not know what Itachi looks like?!" Hidan asked, appalled.

"It's been a few hundred years! And, if you don't like someone, you tend to forget what they look like," Deidara explained, defending himself.

Itachi brushed it off, caring little whether they liked him or not. "I've been sent to monitor you," he revealed.

Pein expected much. Afterall, showing such defiance even as an angel may cause trouble - most gossiping if you're becoming a traitor.

Heavy footfalls from the upper level of the home slowly approached the staircase. Sakura treaded down carefully with the tray of food. She couldn't see them, but the heaviness that beared down on her body gave her a sign that they were close. However, she moved forward, showing no sign that she knew of the band of entities harboring the inside of her home.

Deidara jutted out his bottom lip in the form of a pout. "Ah-" Pein jerked on his comrades hair extending from its hairband and slammed his face into the table, quickly silencing him.

Sakura turned toward the sound. Smiling nervously, she played along, "Oh, I forgot to call that handyman. I'm sure he'll figure out what's going on with all these creaks!"

Deidara cupped his hand over his nose, blood gushing. They didn't have time to explain the plan to everyone else, only to camouflage their presence from her. Pein could only use Deidara as an example to the rest: 'Do not speak about Sakura as if you know her.'

"I see you treat your own kind very well," Itachi noted sarcastically.

"How's your brother doing, Itachi?" Sasori sallied.

Itachi lost his composure with an unfiltered glint of Heavenly wrath appearing in his eyes. As quick as it appeared, it faded with the same passive expression the angel often wore. "What are you doing in a human's home? Surely your presence makes for some adversity?"

"We could care less about the misfortunes of a meager human girl," Kakuzu stated flatly.

"What the fuck did Indra even want you to bring back? A pile of shit?! We have nothing to hide here!" Hidan shouted.

Swiping his hand down his face, clearly frustrated, Itachi attempted to move things forward. The longer he was away from Sasuke, the cracks in their diminishing bond were deepening. Without someone to lean against, he may stray from the path of righteousness once more.

"Pardon me, but I don't particularly care to be here either. I'll stay for a short length of time and return with the information I've gathered. Let's remain peaceful to make this mission easier," he told them.

"A waste of our fucking time. Like I said, we have nothin' to hide," Hidan commented.

Cursing in the kitchen, Sakura shouted out in pain. Attempting to make lunch, she accidentally slapped a stubborn, sticky drawer into her abdomen as she yanked it open. She moved backwards into one of her dining chairs, her arms cradling her stomach. Even after taking her pain medication, the heat bubbling under her stitches intensified her suffering.

Deidara's muscles tensed, but Kisame nudged him. "You can't do anything," he mouthed.

Itachi grew curious. "What's wrong with her?"

"Why would I bother finding the answer to that? She's a human," Pein answered stoicly.

Eyeing him for a lengthy period of time, Itachi then traversed into the kitchen. Kneeling down, he pressed his hand against her back. Sakura didn't take notice, unable to feel his touch. Closing his eyes, he focused solely on her pain and its location.

"There's an infection growing."

"Like we give a fuck," Hidan spouted.

Opening his eyes, he decided to put his powers to use. Soft, blue light emanated from his hand. Slowly, it fazed through her lower back, reaching the healing muscle and swollen membranes around her stomach.

"By the power of the Master, I give you the relief you so desperately seek," he murmured, speaking out loud an archaic reading.

He removed his hand, standing back as Sakura steadily regained her breath. Furrowing her brow, Sakura wondered how it was possible for the pain to magically subside - and quickly, at that. Regardless, her questioning meant nothing. The pain was gone, so why fret?

Returning to the others, he gestured to Sakura. "That is the power the Master has gifted us with," he said, hinting at his boastfulness.

"Great work. Is that a perk for blindly following all of the Master's ridiculous whims?" Sasori asked, unimpressed.

They displayed very little interest, but internally, they were relieved that Sakura's wound was healed. The girl clearly had no idea, but she would be elated to hear the news.

They just had to get rid of the pesky angel.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura wondered how much longer her state of relaxation would last. Four hours had passed and she still felt healthy and full of energy. She could even stretch her stomach muscles without the slightest ache.

A knock rang at the door. Opening it, Sakura's face contorted in surprise. "Naruto?! What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Sakura-chan! I've come to deliver your homework!" Naruto greeted cheerfully.

Sakura cocked her head, puzzled. "What? You don't go to SOMS."

Handing her the folder of homework, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, that's true, but my dad's friend works there and-"

"That doesn't explain how you know where I live."

He laughed nervously. "I... Well..." His bright blue eyes dropped to his sneakers. "The person that was supposed to give them to you didn't want to come. Y'know... since you live in the 'haunted house'."

She had almost forgotten about that stupid rumor. Were people that afraid of a house? How old were they? Eleven?

"I hope you don't mind that they sent me. Everyone in town knows about the haunted house, so it wasn't hard-"

"No, it's okay, Naruto." She smiled at him. "Thanks."

Red adorned his cheeks as he tried his best to act 'cool'. "So, uh, can I come in?" he mumbled.

Sakura didn't mind it. Welcoming him, Sakura guided him to the kitchen. "I was about to make lunch. Would you like some?"

Eating Sakura's food? He only knew her through work, but to be in her kitchen and with the addition to enjoying her cooking?!

"Yes," he exclaimed.

Setting out her pan and bowl of rice from the fridge, she decided upon a simple meal of fried rice with boiled eggs.

Propping his hand underneath his chin, Naruto wondered about her absence. "Sakura-chan, you were gone for a long time."

"A week isn't a long time, Naruto," Sakura joked.

"To be honest, I overheard the conversation you had with Pervy-Boss on the phone. Did you really have to go to the hospital?"

Sakura knew she couldn't live without someone prying into her life. Luckily, Naruto wasn't too intolerable. "Yeah, I did."

"What happened?" Realizing his brown-nosing, Naruto stiffened in his seat. "If you don't mind me asking!"

"I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," she jested. "I was just lucky that it wasn't anything too serious."

Her friend breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Otaha and Ami made it out to sound like you were tortured..."

"You shouldn't always believe what you hear, Naruto. Those two love to exaggerate," she scolded.

Hurrying through her cooking, she placed a plate of fried rice with green onions and boiled eggs onto his side of the table and the two began to eat with idle conversation.

Itachi detested being in the human world. He wasn't supposed to be residing with them, he was supposed to be protecting them. And Sasuke too. Why did Indra bother giving him such a fatuous task?

"I suppose there truly is nothing here worthy of investigating," he proclaimed.

Pein nodded, "You're correct. I'm glad that you've come to accept that." He could feel the weight slipping off of his shoulders. Thankfully, nothing out of sorts happened.

Half-finished with her meal, Sakura's stomach twisted into knots as a familiar rumbling irritated the soles of her feet. Cool air wisped over her bare skin.

Standing abruptly, she swiftly grabbed hold of Naruto's arm. "I'm so sorry, Naruto."

"Hey, hey! What's going on? Sakura-chan, stop it!"

Opening the door, she pushed him outside. "I just felt so sick all of a sudden. Please, forgive me, but I'd hate for you to have to see me suffering."

"But what about-"

"Goodbye, Naruto." Once she slammed the door, the floor ripped open with little resistance.

A demon, tar-covered with several tentacle-like appendages appeared. With zero time to respond, Itachi was caught within its grasp, the tentacles coiling around his body. Unlike the others, it showed some intelligence as it dropped back into the portal to escape the others' attacks.

"Shit, shit! That just had to fucking happen, didn't it? Fuck, fuck!" Hidan screeched, running his fingers through his hair.

Wielding his partizan, Pein shot through the vortex. It appeared to be just another unlucky day for him. If Itachi died while monitoring them...

Everyone knew how Indra would react.

Dropping through Limbo, the creature moved rapidly, the distance between them increasing. "Deidara, stun the creature with your explosives! Make sure that they do not cause harm to Itachi."

Obeying the order directed to him, Deidara molded clay in a hasty manner, throwing the piece and detonating it just above the creature's gelatinous head. Smoke erupted, causing temporary cover for the group. Hidan sliced apart its free tentacles with his scythe, the creature losing its stability and falling to the ground. Its tentacle wrapped around Itachi's body grew tighter, wishing to squeeze him until bones split.

Kisame lunged forward with Samehada, cutting through the final tentacle and releasing its captive. It wriggled against the ground in pain, suffering although not dead.

Sliding from the demon's grip, Itachi displayed the sabre from his baldric, the belt hidden underneath his cloak. Slashing through its head, Itachi silenced the creature permanently with eyes steely and lips thinned. Placing his weapon back into its appropriate place, he met with Pein and the others crowding around him.

"How incredibly surprising for a group of demons to hide such a massive secret. Lord Indra will be pleased to hear my shocking news," he said, wiping the messy substance from his clothes.

The others quickly defended their actions, granting him a large number of excuses. However, Pein presented himself without fear, his head tilted back and his appearance threatening.

"Such a shame what happened to your brother, Itachi. He must have dealt with quite the punishment... it's almost sad to know that his own brother couldn't offer him any comfort or sympathy," he began, taunting the soldier.

"What are you talking about? Sasuke is fine. He has been released of his punishments," Itachi answered.

Pein shook his head, smirking. "Interesting. While I was speaking to Indra, I could sense the resentment radiating from his body. Wouldn't it be devastating if he happened to escape again?"

Itachi's gaze pierced through Pein, a look far from any he's held before. "You wouldn't dare make another gate outside of Heaven," he denied.

"If it had to do with the only opening I have into Hell... I definitely would. He's an easy target for temptation and, as for the next time he escapes, I'd assume Indra's acceptance would be very unlikely. Perhaps Sasuke could even work under me? Having an ally that knows of Heaven's present secrets and weaknesses would prove beneficial."

The angel froze, disgusted, but ultimately accepting. Demons weren't cast away from Heaven for nothing. Vile, horrible creatures without a single ounce of morality.

"You're manipulating my emotions to befit your own gain. How low will you cast yourself?" he uttered.

"Reveal information about our gate and I won't hesitate to create another for the sake of your brother's wishes. They're my specialty, afterall. I'll allow you the chance to decide."

His choices were placed on a scale and Itachi was visibly struggling. Indra made it fairly clear that any angel that chose a path of evil would meet a grizzly demise at the Master's feet. Uncertainty drenched the initial confidence he had that his brother may have been cured of his sinful acts. He had no choice.

With the weight of his brother's life, Itachi reluctantly accepted, "I... am forced to accept your offer. I vow on my life that I will not inform Lord Indra of the gate you constructed. Sasuke's life is invaluable and cannot be chanced over any movement Lord Indra may have planned against you. However, I will inform him of your contact with the human girl."

Pein pursed his lips, taken aback by the sudden twist of Itachi's final decision. "The girl?"

"I suspect that she may be working under you." The fact that she pushed another human from the house seconds before the demon appeared was too strange for it to be a coincidence. "I am not certain of the tasks you may have for her, but I can't leave without some sort of information. I will label it speculation, at best."

Speculation wasn't confirmation. Itachi still remained unaware that Sakura traveled with them into Hell, so the topic would bring nothing of concern to Indra.

"Very well," Pein agreed.

OoOoOOoOoO

Returning through the portal, the men were met with a disapproving look from Sakura. Her hands rested on her hips, lips pouting faintly, and eyes narrowed. Deidara reached his hand to her, smiling.

She brushed it away before he could touch her. "What happened? There was a demon? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"It isn't a big deal. Don't worry about it," Kisame responded.

His words burst the dam containing all of Sakura's pent-up anger and confusion. "Stop saying that I don't need to worry about it! Why are you hiding shit from me?" She shook her head. "You know what? Fuck it! You're all just a bunch of liars!"

Deidara shook his head profusely, his mouth open to speak, but Sakura didn't allow it.

"I bet you just said those things to me about 'being a member of the team' was out of pity since I got hurt. No, I know it was. I don't want you to feel sorry for me and to try to protect me from things that you think I won't understand! If you think I'm that weak then I... I won't go on missions with you anymore! I will not let you fake a smile at me and say it's alright when it's not!" Misty-eyed, she viciously rubbed at her damp lashes. Here she was, crying in front of them again.

Patiently waiting, Pein motioned to her with raised brows. "Are you finished with your infantile rant?"

"Shut the hell up. I'm not in the mood for games! Tell me everything or I won't help you," she bluffed, desperately hoping they would concede to her ultimatum.

The redhead beside Pein knocked shoulders with him, urging him to speak telepathically.

"Pein, this may be for the better. By excluding Sakura from our missions, she'll be exposed to less danger. Honestly, our performance wouldn't benefit with her as a member anyway," Sasori explained.

Absorbing Sasori's words, Pein agreed that Sakura's physical body wasn't enough to kill demons. She was a piece of meat, ready to be devoured.

_'Fuck you. I'm not leaving this house... especially for a group of disgusting rats like you!'_

_'I've already told you that I understand. Maybe... I'll learn to defend myself in those circumstances.'_

_'Admit that bringing me was a success.'_

_'I don't want people to think I'm weak.'_

_'... if I die, I can only blame myself.'_

_'You think of me as part of your team?'_

She had metamorphosed from a naive brat into someone full of understanding and compassion for them. It wasn't a lie that her bravery and pig-headedness impressed him beyond belief - Pein was sincere with his words to her. Creating a bond with a human was dangerous, he knew that, but breaking her determination wasn't in his plans.

"Sakura, is that what you truly want? To become a full-fledged member of our team?" Casting his eyes on her, he awaited her answer.

Wiping away the remaining wetness in her eyes, Sakura slowly nodded her head. "Yes, I want to help, but only if I'm included in the information like everyone else is," she answered seriously.

"Fine, I'll share all of our information with you. Bear in mind that I am placing my full trust with you and betraying me ends only in death." He could hear Sasori sighing while at the same time condemning his leader's decision.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura sat with him, listening to the day they shared with Itachi and the complications that arose after the demon broke through the gate.

"If Indra were to find out about the gate, he would sentence us to death," he divulged.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Why would a gate bother him?"

"For an angel, it's a locked door that can span an entire eon to close without the aid of a demon. Inside that door, rests thousands of demons that show malicious intent against angels. He's already threatened death to me for the first gate, but a deal he made previously kept him from doing so," he replied, simplifying the complexity of their abilities to fit her mindset.

"A deal? What kind of deal did you make with Indra to keep him from killing you?"

Lowering his head, he interlaced his fingers together. "I would rather not speak of it. Perhaps when the moment is better."

"Pein," she growled, knitting her brow.

"It's not something I will keep from you, but just something that I do not want to share at this very moment," he assured. "By the way, how are you feeling?"

"Great, actually," she said, palpating her stitches. "It doesn't even hurt when I touch it."

"That makes sense... Itachi did heal you."

"And I thought the pain pills were actually working for once." Aside from her joking, the news excited her. She could work to her full potential on her assignments!

With the added weight of her absence carried on her shoulder, she wanted to move through her homework quickly during the summer break. For once, she wanted to turn her attention to something besides her studies.

"So as a true member, what do you wish to do?" Pein wondered.

She had played with the idea for a week or two, but confirming it took many long nights during her resting period. Now, she was confident with how she wanted to spend her break from school.

"I want to learn to fight. The proper way!"


	8. Tension

The aroma of roasted meats and fresh wine. The sounds of endless chatter and hearty laughter. His coal eyes feasted upon the pastel clouds and sunset skies as he returned to his home.

"Yes, home."

Itachi passed through the entry gate, hundreds of human souls awaiting their arrival into Paradise. Many angels flocked through the perimeter into the outer garden where plants of all habitats grew and flourished. Some served honeyed wine to their peers, smiles engraved into their faces since their creation.

He hadn't remembered the day of his birth, save only the Master's face as he was given his title. They were given ceremonies and celebrations, lasting days upon days. Demons still roamed the halls of Heaven, creating mischief and games among themselves.

Down below, Humans were barely surviving, scrounging together to hunt and gather. Countless mortals perished through the early ages of their beginning. One man, above all, stood out above the rest. He spread beautiful messages and delivered passionate speeches of the Master. The man granted hope and faith among his peers.

And the Master fell in love with his words, calling to him in whispers during his slumber - weaving dreams of Heaven and its miracles. As he grew in age and wisdom, he cultivated a following for the Master, the group praising to him and placing him on a pedestal above anyone else. On his death, they named him a saint and his soul traveled to Heaven.

At the gates, he dropped to his knees, openly sobbing. The Master appeared to him, smiling with pride and adoration, granting him a name and place among the angels.

On that day, he stayed at the Master's side with the name he cherished with all of his heart.

_Asura_.

Itachi had witnessed the miracle that day, content with the Master's choice. Asura was a kind, selfless individual that took care of his own. It was a joyous day and he rightly deserved the position.

Presently, the same angel waited in the antechamber leading to Indra's resting quarters. His heart thumped in his chest, his pulse pounding in his ears like a hammer against a concrete wall.

Indra's sleepless eyes drifted to the door as footsteps echoed from outside his chamber. A shadow idled momentarily before entering, the figure exposed in the soft light of the hearth.

"Itachi," he greeted, rising from his bed.

The aura emanating from Indra unsettled him. Darkness lingered in the corners of his room, the air surrounding them held heaviness. Itachi confirmed something must have happened during his absence.

"Pein's group harbors inside the home of a young girl," he began his report, "It appears that they haven't made contact with her as she couldn't see them, but I have my suspicions that is not entirely true."

"A girl?" Indra asked, a brow lifted. "What causes you to think such things?"

Itachi bit his tongue, eyes dropping to the floor. "I don't have grounds to say. My words are entirely supported on my assumptions." He couldn't mention the demon entering from the portal without Indra becoming alarmed.

"It's nothing to fret over. Pein despises them, and without the powers demons once held, they are of no harm to her." He pushed off from the feathered mattress, pulling his robes over his unclothed body.

Visiting his room caused Itachi to wonder about the incident Indra gloomed over. The predecessor rarely rested in his private chamber. Most found him basking in the warmth on the terrace presiding over the bathing pools or listening to the songs praising the Master's name in the courtyard.

The last time he strayed to his quarters was after Sasuke's cleansing.

"Anything else you're willing to share with me?" Indra asked, shaking Itachi from his thoughts.

He couldn't lie; an angel never held the freedom to as demons and humans did. They had their ways of dancing around the truth though: a distraction coincidentally falling upon the truth-seeker, the shameless subject change, or a simple hide-and-seek game the young ones often played. Itachi disapproved of the actions, declaring them just a different route of lying. But he didn't trust Sasuke's pursuit anymore. What did his brother really want? Itachi hadn't the foggiest idea in his own head. He didn't understand what Sasuke desired. The naive, excitable boy that Sasuke once was had long disappeared - a walking corpse as his substitution.

He couldn't lie... "I..." He couldn't lie, but for Sasuke could he betray their leader?

Indra urged him to speak, his patience wearing thin. "Speak now."

"No, there is not." He held the breath in his lungs, answering the question truthfully (if he took Indra's question literally). No, he had nothing he was willing to share with Indra because, if he did, Pein would open yet another portal and he may lose Sasuke forever.

With a pause, Indra nodded his head thoughtfully. "I see."

Itachi exhaled, relieved. Still, he was curious over Indra's isolation. What could anger him to the point of retreating to his chambers? "Lord Indra, if I may ask, what causes you to reside here? It's unlike you to seclude yourself from the others."

Crimson eyes narrowed at the young man's question, displeased with Itachi's sudden boldness. "Keep away from my private affairs, Itachi. They are mine and mine alone."

Gesturing for him to leave, Itachi immediately exited the room. First, the arrangement in Hell with the clan of demons. Now, something Indra refused to speak of. What was the point in leaving again? A thought bubbled in Itachi's mind, his heart sinking lower into his chest.

_He didn't make you leave because of Pein... He did it because he wanted to do something beyond your prying eyes._

Shaking his head, he marched out of the hall in search for Sasuke. A thought of distrust growing in his mind made him fearful. He could count himself a hypocrite if he held something so shallow against Indra. Surely he couldn't have predicted Pein ignoring his orders?

Through the growing numbers in the courtyard, Itachi scanned the area for his brother. Suddenly, a large hand slapped onto his shoulder, shaking it roughly. Itachi unintentionally granted the man a look of irritation until he recognized the mop of black, curly hair and his trademark grin.

"Shisui."

"You scared me a bit! I almost thought you were going to roast me on a spit," he joked, walking beside his dear friend. "Anything bothering you?"

"Have you seen Sasuke?"

Shisui rubbed the nape of his neck, thinking hard. "He's been keeping to himself. I haven't seen him since last night."

Noticing the crestfallen expression falling over Itachi's face, Shisui attempted to cheer him up. "H-hey! Don't get so down. Lord Indra forgave him, so everything's fine!"

"It's _not_ fine. The cleansing and punishment didn't work, Shisui. Sasuke hasn't changed and I'm afraid that he may attempt another escape-"

"That's not possible. We closed the portal that Pein opened, remember? There's no way that Sasuke can leave now," Shisui responded positively.

Itachi didn't find his words reassuring. Sasuke's will wasn't as strong as other angels... he fell into temptation easily.

Shisui's arm wrapped around his shoulder, forcing the younger man down to tousle his hair playfully. "Lord Indra has things in control. As he always says, 'Faith is carried only in the hand that holds it.' Sasuke will come around soon enough."

Itachi nodded, letting his words sink in. Sasuke needed time and patience - Itachi would have to show his brother kindness and stay at his side.

Lord Indra was always right, after all.

 OoOoOOoOoO

 Returning from SOMS, Sakura brushed the rest of her lingering thoughts of school away. Assignments were finished, exams were taken, and she received her grades for the semester - all perfect scores. It was a miracle, really. She had two months until her next semester started and Sakura had prepared a schedule far from a typical college girl's plans.

She threw her bag onto the couch as she entered her home, running upstairs to get dressed in comfortable clothes. A kaleidoscope of butterflies whirled in her stomach, her excitement growing as she stomped down the stairs. Pein and the others grouped around in the living room, waiting for her.

"Ready now?" Deidara asked, bobbing on his heels.

Sakura nodded, a bag already packed over her shoulder filled with water bottles and protein-packed snacks. "Yeah, let's go."

Pein sliced through the floor with his partizan, jumping through. Deidara took hold of the girl in his arms and dropped into the vortex as the others filed in first.

Deciding to train in Hell was better than another human looking into her backyard and finding her fighting with open air. It would definitely save her some face and stop any rumors spreading that she was crazy.

Hell's dusty, barren landscape appeared just as it did with the endless line of souls carrying off from the naked eye. They wandered away from the portal's entrance, distancing themselves from Karin and the two pillars marking Limbo. Clouds overhead blocked any source of light, darkness encapsulating the space.

Wary of her surroundings, Sakura held herself closely to Deidara. "Where are we going? I can't see anything," she whispered.

Deidara's arm draped over her shoulders. "Training."

"How can you see though?"

"Pein knows practically every inch of Limbo," he answered.

Sakura continued to trip over jutting rocks and steep mounds of earth until they squeezed through a cavern. Cool air vented above their heads, the seldom echo of water dripping in shallow beds bounced off the rocky walls.

At her feet, creatures slinked along the floor with spines protruding from their hides. The sharp points grazed Sakura's leg, causing the girl to leap up.

"S-something touched me!" she sputtered, trying to climb into Deidara's arms.

"They're not scary, hm. In fact, they probably can't even sense you," Deidara explained, adding an amused chuckle.

Sakura remembered a few times that they had mentioned demons having trouble sensing her. What was it? Their smell?

"They can't find me because I smell like you, right?"

"More or less. You've spent a lot of time with us... Be glad, Sakura, you have camouflage now," Deidara answered.

"We're getting close. Sakura, stand away from Deidara and clear your doubting thoughts," Pein ordered, his voice ringing out from the darkness.

Sakura obeyed, puffing out her chest and standing taller; her head tilted upwards to show off her confidence. She heard the sound of a rock digging into the earth, as if someone were pushing it. Light seeped through the crevice, temporarily blinding her. Pein rolled it further, granting enough room for their larger members to pass.

Behind the boulder, Sakura found a world much different than that of Hell. Sunlight poured down on grassy hills, a sweet aroma filled her nostrils. Warmth wrapped around her, the fuzzy feeling she had when covered by a thick blanket on a cold day. Orchards spanned across the land, delicious fruit hanging from the limbs of tall trees. The colors vibrant and tempting. Her mouth ached and her stomach groaned. Although it was strange that fruit from different seasons were growing in the same season, her hunger pangs steered her from logical thought. Why was she hungry? She didn't know, but taking a single bite from a low-hanging apple wouldn't hurt...

A hand grabbed hold of her collar as she took a step forward. She looked behind at the others, confused. "What?"

"So weak. They already caught you in their trap," Sasori said, disappointed.

"You failed the first test," Pein noted.

She cocked her head, puzzled. A test? Returning her sight back to the splendid vision, her eyes widened. The colors of the bright, sunny world ran like paint on a canvas, mixing into grungy shades of greys and browns. Hell's landscape returned as though it never disappeared. Joining the dismal hues, a collective group of small creatures reaching to her knees, swarmed the land. Horns protruded from their skulls, their skin speckled permanently with blood. They chanted in a language Sakura didn't understand, but they obviously looked upset with their swinging fists and chomping teeth.

"It... was a mirage?"

"A trap," Sasori corrected. "If you would have eaten their fruit, you would have become their dinner."

Hidan kicked one of the little creatures away as it approached him. "Fucking ugly little things."

"What are they?" Sakura asked, watching as a few huddled around her.

"Flesh-eaters."

She shivered. "Ah... so why am I here?"

"You're going to fight them." Pein spoke as though her question was stupid. Of course she was going to partake in training. They _were_ there for a reason.

Sakura shook her head, laughing nervously. "These guys are a bit much, aren't they? I mean, can't they just use their magic spells or eat me?" More gathered around her as if she was a spectacle not seen often. "There are alot of them."

"They can't eat you if you don't eat the fruit. So don't be an idiot and you'll be fine," Kisame said - a poor attempt to reassure her.

A shadow crossed overhead, wings outstretched. Konan settled to the ground with dozens of the Flesh-eaters surrounding her like children. Sakura's excitement returned, jumping forward to meet her again. Konan was the best being in Hell.

Konan's eyes fell on Sakura then to Pein, appearing stern. "Pein-"

"She decided on her own. Don't give me a lecture when it isn't my fault," he interjected, motioning to the pink-haired girl.

The woman sighed, a hand outstretched to the demons clawing at her affectionately. "They've grown on you, haven't they?" she asked.

Sakura shrank back, ears burning. "I guess... Living with people for so long tends to have that effect..."

Konan turned her attention to Pein. "What are you doing here? This isn't a location you visit casually."

"She wanted to learn how to fight. The Flesh-eaters are on par with her strength, so I wanted to test her limitations-"

Strong winds circulated around them like a heavy storm. The Flesh-eaters scattered as Konan's wings threw dust clouds and jagged rocks. Sakura shielded her eyes with her forearms from the flying debris. Konan's eyes flashed with anger, lips stretched thin. Strips of paper flew through the current, sticking to different portions of Pein's body.

Thrusting her wings with a powerful force, Konan hovered inches above the ground, face-to-face with Pein. Lifting her hand, she pushed his body back against the wall of the cavern's opening. The sharp edges stuck into him, but he appeared unfazed to her reaction.

"You're teaching her to fight? What sort of idiocy has possessed your little mind to accept such a task?" Her voice dropped an octave - a low, menacing tone capturing the rage boiling inside of her.

Pein understood that Konan took humans' lives seriously, but he never witnessed her act in such a physical manner. Regardless, he wasn't going to concede to any of her moral standards. "I'm not her father. I've given her many warnings throughout her stay and she's continued to act as stubbornly as she did the day she moved in."

"But to make her fight? What are you planning?" Konan interrogated him - an old habit since her time as an angel she never seemed to lose.

"Nothing," he said. Then he smiled coyly, an act that caused her throat to tighten. "Are you going to fly up to Heaven on those paper wings and tell Indra?"

She whipped her hand across his face with a hard smack. "Speaking that name again in my presence? _You're_ his little messenger boy."

Trading insults about their past with Indra, Sakura firmly gripped the straps of her bag. "They get along... well."

Memories of Konan and Pein's spats swam through Kakuzu's mind. "Their fights are really entertaining to watch. Too bad that hasn't happened in a while."

"I really liked the time when Pein tore through one of Konan's wings and drove her into the ground," Deidara reminisced.

Kisame joined in. "What about the day Konan painted her strips of paper to camouflage with the surrounding rock and dirt? That explosion was huge. It took _days_ for Pein's skin to regenerate."

"Enough with your ridiculous conversation," Pein said, raising his voice at his men. "Start Sakura's training: Kisame and Hidan, teach her close-combat while Sasori and Kakuzu share their knowledge on tactical maneuvering. Deidara, your role is to identify opponent's weaknesses and display proper evasions and retreats."

Accepting their roles, they quickly began their lessons. Kisame and Hidan gave her quick speeches on proper fighting techniques: skull-cracking kicks, acceptable offensive advances, inescapable ripostes.

Sasori and Kakuzu used mentoring with visual imagery. They guided her through markings in the dirt while explaining that she must decide on her attacks or defenses seconds before her opponent touched her. They clarified that before she make plans, she must decide if she stood a chance against her opponent. That, of course, led to Deidara's tutelage.

He showed her signs in the Flesh-eater's anatomy - a visible key to finding possible weaknesses. Using the creature as an example, he pointed out that their size may be brushed off, but with taller enemies, comes a lack of movement. They were highly-evasive and held teeth that could latch onto flesh like leeches. However, they were incredibly fragile - their weight and frame as their weakness. As he mentioned Sasori and Kakuzu's tactics, he stated that finding their routine fighting style or repetitive movements gave her an advantage in the battle.

One tip they all worked into their lessons: Never agree to a demon's surrender - they will never do so. If they approach with open arms, kill them immediately.

Moving to physical training, they guided her smoothly against the Flesh-eater's. Kisame led her slowly through her attacks, step-by-step. Punches, hand-strikes, kicks, elbows, throws, submissions and holds. Sakura used the creatures as dummies, their submissive behavior growing apparent as her confidence rose naturally.

Hidan taught the stances (every other word a slur, of course) and the correct positioning of her limbs and frame. He repeatedly slapped at her hands and legs until she showed off her stance without budging under his strong push.

As they moved to Sasori and Kakuzu once more in their cycle, Konan beckoned Pein to fall back for privacy. On the edges of the Flesh-eaters' cavern, Konan expressed her concern with a soft voice.

"Pein, why haven't you cut ties with her? Indra would surely have given permission to erase her memory if you had asked," she started.

It seemed that Sasori wasn't the only one with worries.

"In return for one of his 'favors'? I'm almost hurt that you would suggest I'm stupid enough to do so," he replied.

Konan furrowed her brow, eyes trailing to the girl as one of the Flesh-eaters swept its tail across her face, angering her as the others laughed mockingly.

"She's not Rin... You know that," she said, her voice barely heard.

Head turning, she found his eyes meeting with hers, the outrage of hearing her words lining his scowl. "I am very aware of that. Thank you, Konan," he replied hollowly.

"Then why keep her in your company? Don't you understand that her blood will stain your hands? You'll be responsible for her death," Konan fired back.

Pein's shoulders slackened. "I've had blood on my hands since my birth. Don't come to me saying such things and expect me to care."

"But you _do_." Konan frowned as he released a heavy sigh. "Why can't you just drop her into Heaven without a word if you don't wish to ask Indra? They would wash her memories away regardless."

"It's not up to me anymore. Perhaps I would have taken your advice months ago, but her life is no longer my responsibility."

"Then who is responsible for her safety?"

" _She_ is. Sakura's a member of our team - our equal - and I won't refuse her request to grow stronger," Pein answered truthfully.

Her palm swiped over her face. "She stands no chance against any demon."

"Because she is mortal?"

"Because fighting without a weapon is a useless effort - especially for a life so fragile."

Pein watched as Sakura smashed one of the Flesh-eater's faces into the dirt as she subdued it. With its tail, it pounded into her back with enough force to knock her forward. With the girl on her stomach, it pounced towards her. Kisame cut in, punting his foot against the demon's stomach, sending it flying.

"I agree, but we do not have extra weapons at our disposal," he replied.

Their conversation ended in silence, Konan contemplating on the thoughts swirling in her head. Taking Pein's words into consideration, she accepted that from what she had seen, Sakura was very strong-willed. She held a fire in her heart, burning vibrantly to achieve the goal set in her mind. To Konan, the girl seemed to feel that she had something to prove.

"Don't hold back. You can _never_ hold back against an opponent," Kisame scolded.

"Yeah, you think some fucker's going to just go easy on you? In Hell, anyone can become prey!" Hidan added.

Sakura wiped blood from the large scrape running up her calf, a lovely reminder that their skin was, in fact, abrasive like sandpaper with crushed glass. "Okay, I get it."

"You're two steps behind their movements. Think before you act or you'll die," Sasori interjected, Kakuzu agreeing.

Deidara gave her a demonstration. "When they go in for a bite, kick them in the teeth or grab them by their tail. If you watch carefully, half of your opponent's attacks have an opening you can take advantage of, hm." A nearby Flesh-eater lunged at him. Deidara raised his brows, kicking his foot into its open mouth then grabbed at its tail. Hurling it overhand, he threw it to the ground onto its back.

"Let's start again then," she shouted.

Moving to another round of training, Konan decided to confess to Pein. "I have something that may pique your interest."

She closed the space between them, whispering into his ear. Pein's lips parted in dismay, surprise overtaking him as she relinquished the information to him. "The Master created a weapon... Something crafted to kill angels." She pulled away, anxious.

"You're certain?" he asked aloud.

Konan nodded, "But you mustn't tell the others unless your situation proves dire."

"How did I not know of this?"

"Pein, it wasn't meant for trivial pursuits..."

Pein narrowed his eyes, his suspicions growing against the fallen angel. "What do you know?"

She withered like a delicate flower facing its first frost. "There are things I haven't told you because they cannot be proven... But I know that Indra cannot be trusted. His words, his actions - they are only growing more devious as time moves forward. With the Master waning in health and power, the predecessor will take the throne. And Indra at the forefront of the Heavens will only lead to devastation. "

"Why can't you reveal everything to me? We've known each other for ages, Konan. Even if it came to war, I would protect you," he vowed.

"The sacred chest that you keep was constructed to house the weapon. Do you perhaps remember the demon that gave it to you?"

So many events had happened during the time Heaven cast out the demons. Thinking hard, he couldn't possibly remember. "No, I can't."

"That doesn't surprise me. Most didn't think of him as a demon, many thought of him as an Angel of Death. He knew of you and seemed interested in your strength."

"Who is it?"

"His name is Madara, but it's impossible for you to meet him," she admitted.

"Why?" he asked.

"Knowing they could not kill him due to his title, the angels locked him away into a place no demon could access."

"And he still has the weapon? Seems strange that they wouldn't take something so dangerous from him," Pein pointed out.

Konan smiled, "He swallowed it."

"How clever," he remarked flatly. "Anyway, why mention this to me? If I can't access this area then what do you expect me to do?"

"It's not for you. I was thinking that it may be the key to protecting Sakura," she explained.

Konan's information gifted them with a new opportunity and a hidden treat if things went wry against the angels. No human weapons could harm an angel, but a weapon crafted by the Master? It seemed as though things were unfolding quite well for their newest member.

"We need this weapon," he decided.

She shook her head. "No, you don't. Not at this time."

"You've clearly stated your distrust for Indra. Why refuse?"

Muddled with doubt, Konan pursed her lips. "There is no war to fight. I'm not going to drop a sacred weapon in your hands unless it's absolutely necessary."

Growing frustrated, Pein decided to speak up about their latest occurrences with Heaven. "Indra slaughtered a large quantity of Zetsu's clan."

"What?" she asked, astonished.

"He insisted that they were planning a coup, but it appears that wasn't the case."

"Why would he do such a thing? That's so... disturbing. He visited Hell himself?"

"Yes, he didn't bother giving me an explanation. He believes his act to be justified, but refused to tell me the truth behind his order. Also, he sent Itachi down to monitor us," he expanded.

Konan knitted her brow, confused. "Itachi? How strange. What happened?"

"A demon ripped through the gate. It must have smelled him and..." he trailed off.

"Has he revealed this to Indra? About the gate?" Her stomach twisted in knots, concerned for her friends.

"I threatened him, using Sasuke's desertion as a way to shut him up. I bluffed, telling him I would create another portal for Sasuke to escape through," he said, crossing his arms.

Konan smiled softly. "You'll think of anything to make them squirm."

"He's so insecure about Sasuke that I barely had to try." Meeting with her gaze, he pushed the subject back to the weapon. "Zetsu said that he was planning something. If he's right, it could affect Hell and all demons. We shouldn't play a game of wait-and-see. We need it, Konan."

Stiffening, Konan realized her own selfishness. She didn't want to believe that an angel would wish for such an unbalanced world, but Indra was capable of anything.

"The thought is frightening, but I believe you," she finally spoke.

"He's a danger to demons."

"Not just demons, Pein. He's a danger to angels, as well," she said, eyes hardening.

Vexed, Pein couldn't understand why Indra would be a threat to his own kind. "Indra has done nothing against his kind. If you've noticed, he's only killed demons and punished angels for sinning."

"Have you heard the story of Asura? The human that held the hand of the Master?"

"Yes? The fool died from a band of rogue demons."

She shook her head, a sick, familiar feeling coating her insides. "No, that story isn't true. I've never believed it."

"What are you talking about?"

Konan inhaled a shaky breath, hands wringing tightly together. "Lord Asura was killed by Indra," she revealed.

"And you have proof?"

"Not... exactly," Konan murmured. "But I cannot believe any other 'story' to be true."

"Then how do you know?"

"It's a feeling-"

"Feelings can't sway the hearts of his believers, can they?" He felt as though he was repeating himself. People relying on their beliefs or intuition never carried facts along with them. The idea often causing him irritation.

Konan's shoulders slumped, a few Flesh-eaters strayed away from the training grounds and swarmed around her. She patted the crown of one's head gently. "I would never forgive myself if I did not help you stagnate his plans."

"I would hope that you'd assist us since you're the only person with knowledge of the weapon's location. Will you be able to retrieve it though?"

She nodded, "Yes, but I cannot do it alone. Sakura will have to come if she wishes to wield it."

"You mean to this place where an Angel of Death resides with a weapon lodged in his stomach?" His voice dulled.

"It grants power to the one that carries it - _immense_ power."

"Then it's perfect for her," he replied.

"However, there are consequences. If she cannot handle the burden, she will be killed. Do you wish for that to happen?"

"It's not up to me." His eyes sparked with pride as Sakura finally subdued one of the Flesh-eaters with a submission hold, Kisame patted her on the back roughly. "It's up to her."

Konan settled her hands to her hips. "I suppose this is a perfect time to discuss it with her then."

The two walked together, joining the group. Sakura released her arm from around the Flesh-eater's neck, the latter stumbling away, squealing. "You didn't even watch me," she exclaimed, annoyed.

"Stop seeking attention," Pein muttered. "We have something for you to retrieve that will greatly enhance your strength."

"But it may cause you to be killed," Konan added. The fallen angel wanted to make absolutely sure the girl heard everything rather than the pieces Pein chose to tell her.

"Killed? What is it?" Sasori wondered aloud.

"It's a sword that can kill angels," Konan answered.

Hidan scoffed, "Our weapons can kill angels just fine if we had the chance!"

"But I don't have anything," Sakura pointed out.

"That's true. If Sakura had a weapon like that then she'd actually pose as a challenge to them," Kisame said, slapping his hand again to her back, almost knocking the girl off her feet.

Sakura was interested, but didn't understand. "Wait, why would I need a sword that could kill angels? What's going on?"

"During our altercation with Zetsu, he made it clear that Indra was hiding something that may endanger the lives of all demons-"

"And angels, as well," Konan broke in.

Kakuzu squinted. "You're saying that Indra may kill all of us? How could he do that with the Master as the reigning force? It's not possible."

"Indra has performed wicked acts under the Master's nose. He must be using something to commit these sins, but I cannot pinpoint a possible answer. You cannot deny that his recent cause of action is, indeed, suspicious," Konan argued.

Deidara agreed, "Zetsu has never caused trouble against Heaven or the Master before. What did Indra really want to do by killing his beetles?"

"We can't come to a conclusion just yet. Right now, our goal is to retrieve the sword from Madara in time to dismantle the plan Indra has set in motion." Pein pointed to Sakura. "Your body may be incompatible with the weapon."

Sakura fidgeted with the idea, folding her arms over her chest. "How... high are my chances of dying?"

"Unfortunately, we do not know. Konan will be the only one to accompany you as demons cannot enter the realm," Pein responded honestly.

With no clear indication of the probability, Sakura didn't feel comfortable in her decision. "I don't know. I mean, I still have school and..." she trailed off, nerves returning.

Her confidence dissipated visibly, drumming her fingers against her bruised arms and biting her lip. Pein pushed her further, showing the circumstances may reach the human world in addition to the afterlife.

"Sakura, you may be the sole savior. By taking this weapon, you'll protect Heaven and Hell which will also keep your world in balance."

"But I might die if I can't bear it," she said.

"You're a member of our team, aren't you? You've stated numerous times that you want to help us and you're falling back now?"

She stomped her foot. "Listen! I want to become a doctor too! I can't just focus on your problems and sacrifice myself because you want some fucking tool."

"You should have thought about that when I gave you the chance to leave. Instead, you chose to stay and assist us with our endeavors. You've pushed yourself into the front lines on several occasions, but the single time we actually want you to you're refusing," Pein spoke heatedly.

Blood rushed to her face in a fit of anger. "I told you that it was my house! And I decide for myself if I want to die or not, remember?! Don't try to tell me what to do, Pein!"

"Selfish, little brat," he muttered.

Picking up her bag, Sakura hoisted it over her shoulders. "Yeah, well, you're not much different," she fired back. "Now take me home. I'm not in the mood to train anymore."

Konan gently grazed her hand over Pein's shoulders. "What would you like me to do?"

"Wait. She'll get over herself soon enough. Once that time comes, we'll drop her with you."

"Are you positive? This is a matter dealing with her life," Konan reminded him.

He shook his head. "Her _normal_ life ended the moment I enlisted her as an ally. She cannot act like a child forever."

 OoOoOOoOoO

 Re-entering her home, Sakura moved silently upstairs, fuming at the leader of their group. Was he deliberately trying to make her feel bad? He was such an asshole! It was her life and he couldn't order her around, even if they didn't speak anymore.

Pein sat in his usual spot near the window, staring at the restaurant directly across the corner of the street. He knew she would accept her role.

She _had_ to.


	9. The Four Demon Brothers

Sakura awoke to the blaring of her alarm clock. Rolling over onto her side, she reached for the snooze button. She had intended to sleep until the afternoon during her summer break, but Jiraiya gave her a surprise when he changed her shifts to mornings rather than afternoon or evening hours. He had no greater excuse than the growing number of customers that would arrive, but Sakura wasn't pleased - even with the increase in pay.

Another five minutes passed and her alarm clock rang again. Shutting it off, she stretched her body, adding a miserable groan. How she hated the morning and its chirping birds and the inevitability of starting another day.

The added sting of her training hadn't helped either. Three days she trained non-stop until she ran out of food and water. Kisame and Hidan's regimen was the worst of the three since she had to actually 'move' around and 'exercise'. Luckily, her work uniform covered the bruises and make-up on her arms helped, as well.

Continuing her morning routine, Sakura walked down the stairs to the kitchen for her breakfast. "Morning, guys. I'm making natto with some fried eggs and white rice. Do you want some?" she greeted.

Hidan picked at his teeth. "Make some fucking udon for a change. No, get another pizza! That shit was good!"

She scrunched up her nose, agitated that someone she obviously didn't like would attempt to order her around outside of Hell. "I don't think so. I'll make or buy those things when I feel like it!"

Inside the kitchen, Pein read through his scrolls, eyes fixated on the ancient language Sakura couldn't possibly read.

"Good morning, Pein," she said.

Rolling the scroll shut, he left without a word.

Sakura puffed out her cheeks. It wasn't fair. Four days had passed since their heated discussion and he still refused to talk to her. It was her life, and she deserved to live and die on her own terms. If she didn't have the strength to wield it then she would die for nothing. It wouldn't change anything for them.

"Oh, she died? That sucks. Guess we'll just force an angel or another human to do it."

"It's not like we need the weapon. We have our own and we'd have to protect her a lot anyway."

"Kind of pointless if you ask me. I did like her cooking though."

She washed out a pan and hurried through the process of oiling the pan. She knew the thoughts in her mind were false - they didn't think that. Why did she allow her insecurities to consume her in such unhealthy ways? She was worth more to them than being a pesky human.

However, her thoughts didn't change. Perhaps if she knew the risks better, she would make a more thoughtful choice on the matter. But she didn't and they had to accept it.

In the living room, partizan in hand, Pein opened the portal.

Sasori raised his brows, puzzled. "What are you doing? A task for Indra?"

"Of course not. I'm going to speak with Konan. I'll be back." Before he could hear a response, Pein dove into the portal and disappeared as the floorboards mended together.

The chill caused Sakura to shiver. Overhearing their brief conversation, she wondered what sort of 'talk' he would have with Konan. It was possible that the two would speak about the weapon...

Whatever, I don't care. Let him do what he wants, she decided, pressing gently on the egg.

OoOoOOoOoO

Konan's hand pressed against the back of a runt-sized Flesh-eater, her nails scratching softly on its skin-shaving hide. Feeling his presence, she greeted Pein with a nod of her head.

"The weapon-"

"Has she agreed?"

Pein didn't respond swiftly, biting back his anger at the human girl. "No," he admitted.

Konan continued to pet the little creature's back. Its leg kicked out affectionately like a typical animal enjoying the physical contact. "Then I can't help you," she murmured.

"I'm not asking for you to retrieve it. If you had let me speak then I would have asked for more information and the risk it carries," he said briskly.

Konan's hand stopped mid-motion, causing the Flesh-eater to nuzzle closer. "I've told you, Pein. If her heart is not strong enough, she will be killed by the burden."

She made it sound so simple, but Pein couldn't accept that. He wanted real answers. "What kind of strength does she have to obtain? Physical or the cliched heart of hearts sort?"

"Shouldn't it be obvious?"

"I'm the one asking the question. You angels aren't very reliable when it comes to clarification," he answered, his tone marked with impatience.

Brushing off his insult, Konan spoke to him honestly, "As I knew Madara, he often said that he was chosen by the Master because of his strength. He was the boastful type, so it came as no surprise when he chattered on and on about his task. One day, however, he nearly died due to a wound he never truly conquered."

"A wound? From a battle?"

She shook her head. Of course, Pein would automatically assume she meant a physical altercation. "From love."

Pein scoffed, "Just speak of it."

"An angel he held close to his heart, Hashirama, passed just a time before the demons' banishment. One of Madara's own kind had murdered him - tensions were high - although it came as a shock to everyone."

Pein was silent, eyes focused on the spindly cracks forming in the dry earth.

"Almost instantly, the weapon he held in his hands overpowered him. He fought violently for control, but his body couldn't handle it. It wasn't until then that he realized the true power the Master granted him was also a curse. Upon Hashirama's death, Madara questioned himself for the first time in his life. 'Was my existance as important as I used to believe? I should have died instead of Hashirama. How can I possibly continue without him?' In the end, he forced himself to believe, for the sake of his life, that Hashirama wasn't someone worth caring for."

"Couldn't the weapon sense that his feelings were false?"

"No, because he believed these feelings to be true. It took time, though. He had to stow it away in the chest until he accepted it. Hashirama was an angel. Madara was a demon. Their entire existances were built around opposing forces and they couldn't change that - atleast that is what Madara came to believe."

The information she gave him was remarkably vast. "How do you know so much of this? You escaped Heaven long before the demons did."

"I speak with him seldomly. Since the angels don't bother with him, he's left alone and my presence grants him some comfort," she answered.

"You're too soft," Pein pointed out.

Konan frowned in displeasure. "Having compassion is not a weakness. On certain occasions, it can be the key to salvation."

"If that's what you believe." Turning on his heels, he began his walk back to the portal.

"You've collected enough to satisfy yourself? What do you plan to do? Manipulate her?"

"She's strong. I'm not worried," he stated.

Konan found his confidence to be a concern. "Pein, why are you willing to cost her her own life? Her freedom? Why won't you cut ties with her when you know it's for the best?"

"I'm not asking for guidance. Stop pestering me, Konan."

Releasing the small demon from her arms, Konan rested her freed hands into her lap. "One day, you'll have to do it. She cannot live her life with you forever. I'm only saying that we live in different worlds for a reason. It's best that you do so before she gets hurt... before you get hurt."

Peering at her over his shoulder, Pein moved forward through the small opening into the cavern. "Thanks for the advice, but we're fine as we are."

OoOoOOoOoO

Finishing her hearty, nutritious breakfast with the company of Deidara and Sasori, Sakura hurried to brush her teeth and complete the rest of her tasks. She headed upstairs to pack her uniform, stuffing the maid outfit inside her bag. Taking a quick look in the mirror, she glided a stick of lipgloss across her mouth, smacking her lips together. She reached for her mascara, passing her wand through her lashes. Fluffing her hair with the tips of her fingers, Sakura thought she looked fresh and awake, considering that she barely felt like either.

Pulling on her sneakers (and grabbing her heels), Sakura waved to the others. "See you later! After work, I might pick up some ramen!"

Hidan and Deidara cheered, overjoyed that their constant whining broke her.

Closing the door and locking the deadbolt, Sakura hoisted her bag over her shoulder. The hot, summer sun, already looming overhead so early, soaked her skin in its warming rays. Luckily, work wasn't too far away, so she wouldn't arrive drenched in sweat.

OoOoOOoOoO

Arriving just minutes before her shift began, Sakura sprinted to the changing room. She didn't have enough time to waste on covering the peephole, nor did she care. For now, she wanted to move through her work with little conflict, cursing herself for thinking that walking to work would be a wise decision in this heat. She could argue with herself, stating that she had no idea that there would be an accident, causing her to diverge from her normal route and circle around the entire block, but she didn't have time for that either.

Pulling on her stockings, she heard a knock at the door. "Hold on! I'm almost done!"

"Hurry, please! Customers are flocking in! We already have a group of seven and they're asking for you!" Ami's voice rang through the door.

Sakura groaned. Seven? This early?! Why did people arrive to get their jollies off at this time anyway? Fetishes like this were meant for the evening hours.

Walking out, she greeted the table kindly. The middle-aged men ran through the menu, but let their eyes wander to her exposed cleavage and long legs. She didn't quite understand the popularity of the outfit, but she wasn't getting paid to question it, so why bother?

After their mumbling and murmurs for their orders, she dropped the list onto Naruto's station.

He grinned at her, cleaning off the grill they used for meats and vegetable skewers. "Sakura-chan, how are you feeling today? You kind of scared me a bit last time I saw you."

Sakura had forgotten. The demon, Itachi's visit, her official joining to the group. It happened less than a week ago, but her training in Hell caused her to lose track of time.

"Oh, yeah, I'm okay."

"Come to think of it, what happened to your roommates? Do they still live with you?" he asked, leaning over the counter.

Sakura laughed sheepishly. "They do, but they keep to themselves. They're always busy."

"That place is kind of small... How do you all fit in there?"

"We have our ways of dividing the house. Now, Naruto, I need those orders?" She gestured to the grill, forcing a distraction upon the blonde.

He blushed, scratching his scalp. "Right, right! Sorry about that. I just don't know much about you, Sakura-chan. Your life seems so interesting."

She smiled wryly, turning her back to him. You have no idea, Naruto.

Receiving her tray filled with their morning dishes, Sakura stopped by the table. "Here you go," she said brightly, presenting their meals to each one.

"Hey, Sakura! I got the drinks ready," Ami called out.

Sakura turned her back to the table. "Okay, let me finish up..." Her voice faded as the hem of her dress raised inches above her thighs.

Swiveling on her heels, Sakura whipped her hand over the man's face behind her, shocking their guests. Initially, he stared at her wide-eyed, only to have a perverted smile spread over his lips.

"My, my! Yabai-chan is so feisty today!" he exclaimed.

"That's our Yabai!" another joined.

Stomping away as the men continued to enthuse over her physical reaction, Sakura stood idly near Naruto as he placed sliced lemons into each drink.

Watching her carefully, he settled the receipt on the platter. "Do I have to ask?" he questioned slowly.

She grit her teeth, slamming her hand on the counter. "Stupid idiot. He tried to look up my dress!" Unfortunately for the man, she wore track shorts underneath, but it still gave him no right to do such a demeaning act.

"Slapping him was no better. It kind of looked like he enjoyed it, Sakura-chan," he mused.

Sakura shook her head. She had such a strange clientele.

Reaching for the platter of drinks as Naruto slid it across the counter, Sakura felt something move upwards against her leg. Nabbing at it, Sakura's hand landed on something covered in hair as it clung to her leg. Peering down, her blood ran cold as she found a scrawny, spindly-armed demon attached to her.

Eyes bugging from their sockets, Sakura faked a coughing fit, her hand clasped over the demon as it began to detach.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto, but I don't think I'm entirely well yet," she said through a few coughs.

Naruto furrowed his brow. "What? Huh?! What do you mean?"

Backing away to grab her bag inside the changing room, she smiled weakly at him. "I don't think I can make it through my shift. Can you please cover for me?"

"You're serious? But, Sakura-chan-"

She opened the door and ran inside, locking it. Grabbing hold of the demon, she spotted yet another furry mass hitching a ride on her back. They were incredibly light, like holding air. Unzipping her bag as they began to shriek and whine, Sakura stuffed them inside along with her street clothes.

Exiting the room and heading to the door, she heard Naruto's shouts of worry. "Sakura-chan, are you sure-"

"Thanks so much, Naruto. I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

OoOoOOoOoO

Dashing through the front door, Sakura threw her bag off of her shoulders and onto the floor, an audible grunt heard. She had made it across town, wearing her revealing uniform and catching stares (and photos) from onlookers. But that was the least of her concerns. What if other people noticed the Hell-raised hairballs?

Stepping back, she continued to gesture towards the bag.

"Mind asking us why you're sweaty and acting like a lunatic?" Sasori asked.

Sakura growled out of frustration. "All of you are so stupid!" Unzipping her bag, she turned it upside down, throwing make-up, a brush, her wallet, phone, and the two scraggly demons from her bag.

The group of men stared, bewildered, until Hidan burst into a fit of laughter. "What the hell?! Oh, shit! That's so- Kakuzu, Kakuzu!" He sprinted into the kitchen, dragging the other man by his arm.

Kakuzu batted Hidan away. "Dumbass, what are you-"

"Look, look! The fucking things! They're..." He held his stomach, Hidan refused to stop giggling.

Turning, Kakuzu's eyes widened briefly. "Oh."

Sakura didn't understand what exactly was so funny. "Hey, don't leave me hanging like this. What's going on?!"

Kakuzu pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and sighed. "Suiton, Raiton... Where are your brothers?"

Immediately, the little demons jolted up. Shrieking, they climbed onto Sakura, clinging to her like little animals.

"Leave us alone!" one shouted.

"No more! We don't want to be with you, Big Kakuzu!" the other added.

Kakuzu moved one foot forward and they screamed again. "Shut your mouths, little morons."

"Kakuzu, what are they?" Sakura asked, touching one as it climbed onto her shoulder.

"They're demons that I've collected," he answered, crossing his arms. "But they're acting like fucking idiots."

The little demon with a curved snout and blue markings underneath its white eyes grabbed gently onto Sakura's hair, hanging from it as it leaned off of her shoulder. "No, we don't serve you anymore!"

The other with its twisted horns and prominent, yellow nose agreed with its brother. "Kakuzu only uses us for our powers and never lets us have any fun!"

"That's sort of the point, Raiton. Now, come to me and stop this foolish behavior." Kakuzu detached his hand from his forearm, tendrils seeping out.

They cowered, hiding their faces in Sakura's hair like frightened rabbits. "No, no! If you take us, we'll never help you again!"

"And we won't help you find Katon and Fuuton!" Raiton squeaked.

"Is that so? Well, I could just beat you senseless until you remember your place," Kakuzu started.

Sakura held onto the two of them, holding both in her arms. She felt bad for them - so weak and helpless - it wasn't fair for Kakuzu to pick on them without someone defending the poor creatures.

"What if... we went out looking for them? It wouldn't hurt, right?"

Hidan shook his head, gritting his teeth in disgust. "Like I'd go out of my fucking way to search for low-level demons. It's a waste of time."

Sasori took one of Sakura's anatomy textbooks and flipped through it. "Not interested."

"I don't do things unless Pein tells me to... or if I'm gonna die," Kisame said, scraping the accumulating gunk off of Samehada's scales.

The girl frowned. And they used to call her useless?! "Kakuzu, you need to find them!"

"Why? Their bodies can't handle the mortal world, especially with all of the demon-warding charms that people carry here. Soon, they'll come crawling back, realizing their mistake," he replied.

Sakura's eyes fell to the two demons in her hold. They were so tiny and upset. She hated to think that they reminded her of herself. Unable to make choices for themselves and seeking some freedom.

Pein didn't understand that. He wanted to use her as a pawn, but then again, he did expect it from her since she agreed to become a member. Was she disloyal for disobeying him?

Shaking the guilt-ridden thoughts from her head, Sakura refused to think she was in the wrong. Why did she feel so bad about it? Because Pein wasn't speaking to her? The sword would kill her if she wasn't strong enough and Sakura knew that she wasn't exactly up-to-snuff when it came to confidence - particularly her own thoughts on her self-esteem. Test scores, exams, and everything about school... they were the supports that held her together. If she wasn't smart then what else would be left? She wasn't strong. She didn't like people, so charisma was out.

There was nothing.

But whining and hating herself wasn't something she liked to do either.

"It doesn't matter if they come crawling back or not. There will always be that feeling of resentment and these little acts of rebellion will continue," Sakura exclaimed. "You need to reconcile with them, Kakuzu!"

Kisame laughed, "Oi, she's right. Maybe you should listen to her."

Rolling his eyes, Kakuzu silently agreed. The sooner they reattached themselves to his back, the better.

OoOoOOoOoO

Several hours passed by as they searched the city for them. Raiton and Suiton barely catching a whiff of their brothers' scent. As the sun fell into the horizon, Kakuzu's irritation reached its breaking point.

"You two are completely useless. Work harder to find them."

Suiton shook his head. "No! You're nasty and mean!"

"We hate you!" Raiton snapped.

Sakura's feet ached, but finding them was absolutely necessary. Having demons roaming around the city could prove dangerous to others, but they were getting nowhere with Kakuzu's forcefulness.

"Kakuzu, why don't you try asking them nicely?" she suggested.

Crossing his arms, the tanned demon sighed. "That would only make it worse. I won't coddle them. Besides, doing that wouldn't help."

"Where did you find them anyway?" She had never heard of a demon hosting others of its kind. It didn't make sense either. If he found them useless, why have them?

"I found them in Tier-Five. Weaker demons fall prey to stronger ones, so the four would often be at the mercy of the others they lived with. Normally, I wouldn't bother, but they looked so pathetic that I decided to step in."

"That was nice of you." She didn't know much about 'Hell etiquette', but it wasn't normal for a demon to help others, so it came as a pleasant surprise to her that Kakuzu would perform such an act.

"Well, it worked in my favor because they made a deal with me."

"A deal?"

He nodded, "They offered their abilities as long as I protected them. Seemed like a good idea until they started acting like rebellious brats."

"That's because you stopped using us," Raiton shouted.

"We got bored," Suiton finished.

Ignoring them, Kakuzu turned his attention to Sakura. "It's fortunate that our scent has rubbed off on you. These idiots flocked to you out of curiosity."

The thought amused her. "So they thought I was another demon?" Their scent worked well for her in Hell - granting her 'camoflage'.

"No, they knew you were human," he corrected.

Furrowing her brow, Sakura waited for him to continue.

"They thought you were my partner," he answered, pointing to himself rather reluctantly.

Suiton danced on Sakura's shoulder. "Big Kakuzu has a beautiful bride!" he chimed in happily.

"Turn her into a demon! Turn her into a demon!" Raiton ordered eagerly.

Sakura shook her head firmly. "No. I'm no-one's bride and I'm definitely not being turned into a demon." How was that even possible?

Grasping her shoulder, Kakuzu looked down on her. "Actually, you should play along with their ridiculous antics."

"What?! But I'm not your bride!"

"They may follow your command if you agree. That way, I won't have to concede to their demands. It's not as though you'd have to prove it... they're very simple-minded," he explained.

She didn't like the idea, but lying wasn't anything new to her now. Holding on to them, she held the two in front of her face. "Listen, as Kakuzu's wife, I'd appreciate it if you helped find your brothers. It's very important that we find them as quickly as possible."

They faced each other, pondering the idea, then agreed. "Okay!" they said in unison.

Darkness swept through the sky as the two hurried across town, passing through alleyways and over fences to reach their destination. Raiton and Suiton continued to feed directions to the pair until they stopped at the entrance to one of the elementary schools in the district.

Immediately, Sakura's stomach churned. "They're in the school?"

Kakuzu walked to the gate that barred any possible intruder. "Here, I'll help you over."

Hitching his hands around her waist, he lept over the gate and landed on the other side. "We'll scout the outside first."

Sakura nodded in confirmation, her eyes sifting the dimly-lit area. Searching through the playground equipment and the soccer field, they found nothing that pointed towards any sign of the demons.

"They have to be inside," Sakura insisted. "But how do we get in?"

Reeling his fist back, Kakuzu drove his hand through the door, causing Sakura to flinch. That was one way to do it. Breaking through the door rather than the windows made less noise and outweighed the risk of glass cutting her.

Unlocking the deadbolt and knob, Kakuzu opened it for his 'wife'. Once her foot stepped onto the linoleum floor, an eerie echo of children's giggling fell on her ears. Heart thumping in her chest, she turned to Kakuzu.

"It isn't possible for any children to be here," she whispered.

"They must have taken possession," Kakuzu surmised, continuing forward.

Wandering through the first floor, the sound of whispers filled the emptiness inside the hallways. Tiny footsteps ran past them, but nothing was found as both whipped their heads to find the feet responsible. Creeping around the corridors caused Sakura's anxiety to grow. She anticipated a ghoul to pop out at any moment, goosebumps forming on her skin.

The stale air turned cold, her breath becoming visible. How powerful were these demons to cause such a shift?

They climbed the stairs, Kakuzu moving first. Suiton and Raiton sat quietly on Sakura's shoulders, their silence disconcerting. The temperature dropped drastically as they approached the corner, leading to a classroom - the door left ajar. Slowly, Kakuzu peered through the crack. Two figures stood together, motionless. Slamming it open, the door bounced against the wall as Kakuzu raced to them.

"Katon, Fuuton. What the hell do you think you're doing?" he shouted, his anger prominently showing.

Sakura followed behind him, eyes widening. Two children stood side-by-side, hands clasped. They plastered discomforting smiles onto their faces, eyes glassy and soulless.

"Possessing humans is against our code. You know that," he scolded.

The little girl raised her brows, indifferent. "We don't care about the code." Her voice was monotone.

The little boy cocked his head, his smile widening. "We had fun finding suitable bodies. And we want to stay this way."

Lifting a hand, waves of fire burst from the boy's palm, Katon intentionally aiming for Sakura. Fuuton circled his hand around his mouth, blowing air from behind Katon's flames, fueling them further.

Kakuzu grabbed hold of Sakura and raced out of the room, the heat of his fire scathing his skin.

"What's going on? I thought you said they were weak," she yelled, sprinting down the stairs.

"I haven't used them in so long. They've been conserving a millenia's worth of energy," he explained.

"What are you going to do then?"

Sighing, Kakuzu straightened his posture as they exited the school. "I'll have to kill them, I suppose."

"You can't! You'll kill the kids too," she shouted, denying his plan entirely.

Suiton left his hiding place behind her hair, staring at the girl with concern. "You're upset, but we can help."

Kakuzu attempted to snatch at the little demon, but it scurried from his outreaching hand. "Bastard. If you hadn't made us search the entire time we wouldn't have to deal with this."

"How can you help?" Sakura questioned, intrigued.

Suiton returned to her shoulder, eyeing Kakuzu warily. "We could possess you. We could fight against our brothers."

"Our powers oppose theirs!" Raiton pointed out.

Sakura found the entire idea of possession highly unsettling. "I can't do that. You should go with Kakuzu instead," she said, attempting to persuade the masked creatures.

They cried out, detesting the idea. "No more Kakuzu!"

"He doesn't use us! We've been nothing of use to him. Just accessories sewn onto his back!" Suiton whined.

Frustrated and stressed to his capacity, Kakuzu swiped both of them into his large fist. Hearing their shrill cries and constant bitching caused his blood to boil. They were far more obnoxious to be around than Hidan.

"Look, I'll use your abilities more if you stop with the fucking pestering," he caved, his voice thick with anger.

They were astonished. "Do you promise, Kakuzu?" Raiton prompted.

"Promise, promise?" Suiton repeated.

Kakuzu wished he could sew their mouths shut. "Hurry up and reattach to my back. We don't have time to spend casually talking."

Opening his clenched fist, the two crawl up his arm and down his tunic, their bodies fitting into their proper places below his shoulder blades. Moving swiftly into the school, Sakura kept a safe pace behind him. Kakuzu reached the classroom, Fuuton and Katon appearing agitated with his return.

"Go away," Katon ordered. "We aren't your little puppets anymore."

Just as it did before, flames erupted from his palm, Fuuton's wind increasing the fire in size as it seized over Kakuzu and Sakura.

Detaching his hand from his forearm, Kakuzu pushed Sakura away from the battle, her body slamming into the wall outside of the classroom. Water blasted from both of his hands, dowsing the flames, smoke rising to the ceiling.

Disgusted, Katon leered at the demon. "Suiton, Raiton. What are you doing working with him? You should be on our side!"

Shuffling forward, the two hastily built another rush of flames against him, their fear rising as their original master inched towards them. Parting his lips, tendrils poured from Kakuzu's mouth as held them firmly in place, Katon and Fuuton struggling against him. Using his free hands, he pushed them down their throats, ripping the demons from the children's' bodies. They squirmed, squealing and screaming as his fists tightened around their frames. Sakura flinches as the sound of bones cracking reverberate in her ears, their voices cut off.

"They'll regenerate," he assured, noticing her disturbed expression. "It was the only way."

On the floor, the boy and girl began sobbing, tears streaking their faces as they laid crumpled in shivering heaps. Sakura knealt down, grabbing hold of them.

"Will they be okay?"

"They'll never remember it," he answered. "You should take them."

Gently helping them to their feet, Sakura spoke to them tenderly. "It's okay. We'll go to the police station and they'll help find your parents, all right?"

Both continued to cry and Sakura gestured to Kakuzu, allowing him to return home.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura was exhausted.

She knew that she would have to take them to the police station, but she didn't expect that they would keep her for questioning. The officer on duty asked her an endless list of questions: Where were they? What was she doing there? Who were they with? What happened in the moment she found them? Did they say anything?

She flat-out lied, stating that she found them at the park, confused and disoriented. Thankfully, the kids barely remembered anything, only the time on their voyage to the station. Regardless, their parents were relieved to find their children safe and sound. After being thanked numerous times, Sakura left the station and returned home at midnight.

In her livingroom, she noted the little demons sitting patiently for her arrival. With her hands on her hips, Sakura marched over to them.

"You shouldn't have done something like that. If you ever do something so stupid again, I'll wring your little necks myself."

Katon scratched at his fur, clearly unfazed by her threat. "It doesn't matter."

Anger burned at her cheeks. She did not just waste her entire night for some rebellious demon. "What do you mean it doesn't matter?! You could have died out there or hurt someone."

Fuuton sighed, rubbing his cracked beak. "Kakuzu doesn't care about us. That's why it doesn't matter. He doesn't care what happens to us at all."

Bending forward, Sakura slapped her hand against Fuuton's head. "Idiot! If Kakuzu didn't care about you then he wouldn't have went out to search for you!"

Still doubtful, the pair face their master, questioning whether it was possible for him to say such a thing.

Kakuzu hated this. Exhaling a deep breath, he spoke to them calmly, "I didn't just protect you because of the deal. During our battles, your abilities were powerful and proved to be quite useful. I wanted to use you as an addition to my arsenal."

Raiton crawled out of his tunic, peeping over his shoulder. "So you respect us and find our powers impressive?"

Squinting, Kakuzu pushed the demon back inside his shirt. "Of course that's what I meant. What's the point in repeating myself? Learn to listen the first time, you brainless idiot," he stated reluctantly.

Accepting his answer, the four stitch themselves into his back, content that their master had enough kindness to praise their powers. Suiton waved to Sakura before falling into his place.

"We're happy to have met Big Kakuzu's bride! We hope to see you again soon!" After his farewell, the demon sealed himself into his position, the stitches mending him with Kakuzu's body.

The others were confused. Did they hear the creature correctly?

"Kakuzu's bride?" Deidara repeated.

Sakura sunk into the sofa, groaning. "Please, don't ask."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been making excuses for myself because I didn't know whether to continue this story or not, but I guess I wanted to at least finish up this chapter. Hopefully my writer's block resolves itself.
> 
> Anyway, I really wanted Kakuzu's masks to have their own bodies like they did when he summoned them in canonverse, so I decided it would be a fun filler idea to show them off a bit. Next chapter will have more Naruto in it and I wonder what will happen? :)


	10. Freedom

Friday night. Lights illuminating the city. Teenagers laughing and teasing each other as they moved through the entertainment district. Older men, pulling at their collars, taking their romantic affair to a love motel, guiding them with a sweaty hand. Drivers blaring their horns at oblivious jaywalkers running through the busy streets. So lively, so vibrant.

The blonde cafe worker stared at his reflection. Naruto thought of himself as an attractive guy. He wasn't too short or too grubby. His body was fit and he held onto a few boyish features just like his father. Yes, there wasn't much for the young man to be worried about.

But around Sakura he felt... irrationally small. Insecure, clunky and out of place.

At work he found himself examining his body for anything that may dissuade her from being near him. Sniffing his breath, combing out his spikey hair, checking his teeth. He wanted to look his best for her.

Strangely, she didn't seem to notice him much - her thoughts occupied on something far more important. But he wanted her attention - lived for it. He always anticipated the shifts he worked with her, the little talks during their breaks were some of the best. Every time he attempted to learn more about her, she'd somehow switch topics without his notice.

 _If I could only get her phone number_ , he thought, _then I could have a chance._

It was a struggle, but Naruto knew he had no other choice. It took courage, but he wasn't going to turn tail on someone as beautiful and interesting as his favorite co-worker.

Tomorrow, Uzumaki Naruto was going to ask Haruno Sakura out on a date!

OoOoOOoOoO

Friday night. Shiver-inducing winds. The sound of snapping bones like twigs underneath a heavy boot. Hollow, empty eyes as deep and dark as a country well with gnashing teeth and hungry groans. A wasteland that stretched on endlessly, spanning beyond even the keenest eye. The final resting place for the damned. So desolate, so mysterious.

Sakura rubbed at her ankle, suspecting that she could have pushed herself too far.

"Is it sprained?" Sasori asked, kneeling beside her.

She grit her teeth, standing with her weight shifted to her good leg. "No, it's okay. Just think I pulled something."

He investigated the area himself, pulling his hand away as she winced under his touch. "Better to be safe then. Kakuzu and I will begin our lesson to allow more time to heal," he decided.

Hidan dropped to the ground, eyes rolling. "Fuck, again? For once, I wish Itachi was here. If he could heal her fucking stab wound, it wouldn't be too much to fix her damn ankle."

"Did you just wish for an angel to come down here? Have you gone completely insane?" Sasori remarked.

"Shut up, you deaf piece of shit! I said, 'for once'! Not, _'Man, I wish I could have Itachi here. He's so fucking amazing and not a fucking dirtbag that doesn't give a shit about anyone, but his dumbass master._ ' I just want his skills, not the whole shitty package," Hidan snapped.

Kisame rested on the ground, one of the few flat rocks propped under his head like a pillow. "You want her to get better, eh? That's not like you, Hidan."

"It's not fucking like that. Say something else, fishface, I'll cram my boot up your ass." Hidan grabbed a handful of dirt and sprinkled it over Kisame's face, the latter holding little reaction.

Brushing it off, Kisame smirked, "If that's what you think."

Sakura, sitting between her two teachers, cupped her hand underneath her chin. Sasori drew diagrams using X's as her opponents and O's as her allies. Both threw in information about their tactics, garnishing barely any thought from her as her eyes drew to Pein.

How long would it be until he actually spoke to her? Weeks? Months? Perhaps the question should be how long he could hold a grudge.

He frustrated her beyond belief. But she probably did the same too. She just needed the time to talk with him. If she could just get him alone-

"Pay attention," Kakuzu scolded, tapping his knuckles against her head.

"I was!" she fibbed.

Sasori frowned, "Is that so? Well then, please, give us your opinion on the subject we were just discussing, Sakura." He held little tolerance for people that didn't pay attention to his lessons. Demon or not.

Face reddening, Sakura shriveled back. "Sorry."

During her sleep-inducing lesson, Pein watched her closely. The feeling of resentment festering inside him like an infected wound. She'd wanted everything from them - acknowledgement, protection, belonging, knowledge - but the girl wasn't willing to give anything in return. One of the many reasons he despised humans. The mere fact that she was oblivious to it made his blood boil.

A hand reaching out to him, pulled Pein from his thoughts. Turning, Karin stood before him, panting heavily, "Pein!"

"What is it?" It was unusual for her to be so far from her post.

Gasping for breaths, Karin crumpled over, clutching her stomach. "There's a... there's one of Orochimaru's experiments attacking Limbo. It's eating the damned and ruining everything!"

"An experiment?"

"I tried killing it, but it caught me off-guard." She pulled her hand away, exposing a deep gash along her abdomen. "I need you to kill it for me. The bastard's fucking up the order of Hell!"

Sakura rushed to Karin, the blood pooling on the ground alarming her. "Are you okay? What happened?" She pressed her hand to the young woman's stomach, but Karin recoiled back.

"I'm fine! Don't touch me," she snarled. Allowing a mere human to approach her? Disgusting.

Turning to his men, Pein spoke of their new mission, "We've got a quick job to do. Slay Orochimaru's experiment and find out why he released it. Understood?"

The others agreed, taking their weapons in hand. Having a few charms handy, Sakura grabbed the chest, following after the group. Karin led them to the entrance of Limbo, shrieks of pain and terror ringing in their ears. The sight of the demon did not surprise them. Orochimaru's experiments always had a likeness to his snake form.

The large, reptilian monster slithered around, lunging at yet another group of damned souls in the line. Their numbers scattered as it picked them off, impaling many with its venom-dripping fangs. Blood splattered onto the soil as it crushed the rest underneath its weight - the fiend hissing as its newfound opponents revealed themselves.

"I could use one of my omamori," Sakura suggested. "Since demons are easily killed with it-"

"This is one of Orochimaru's experiments. Keep away unless we call for you," Pein ordered.

Sakura insisted on being with them. "I've worked hard during my training. With my evasiveness, I wouldn't have too much trouble-"

"Without a weapon, you're ultimately useless."

"I'm useful in my own right! Let me get close while you distract it. If it doesn't see me then I can catch it and kill it without a worry. I don't need a fucking weapon, thank you," Sakura argued.

Grabbing at her shirt, Pein held her high enough for her feet to dangle in the air. "I'm done listening to you run your mouth. I'm the leader and I decide the actions we take. Right now, I'm ordering you to stay here and you. Must. Follow it." He dropped her to the ground, turning his back.

Sakura had enough. The arrogance, the enforcement. "You're no better than Indra. Criticizing and ordering everyone around - it's only to suit your own needs! If something's not going your way, you throw a big fucking tantrum."

Stilted, Pein turned his gaze again to the human girl. "And you're nothing, but flawed potential that insists on having things her own way simply because you crave the praise and glory for acts that you can't perform yourself. You leech onto us to fill the emptiness inside of you because you're that worthless in character. You pride yourself as one of our kin, but refuse to accept any demands made of you. You're weak, insufferable... practically dead weight."

Pulse heightened, eyes hardened, Sakura whipped her hand into the chest, seizing one of the charms inside. Rage blinded her as she raced to him, pressing the charm onto the side of his face.

He called out in pain, the searing of flesh producing a smokey haze. Involuntarily, he jerked his arm, his fist slamming against her jaw. Sakura flew back, her body tossed against the ground like a victim of a car crash forced through the windshield.

Shocked into silence, the others had little time to react. Did she actually attack Pein? Was she looking for a death sentence?!

The mind-numbing blow sent Sakura's head in circles. Her eyesight blurred, producing several mirrored images of Pein as he stomped towards her, teeth bared.

Deidara came to Sakura's side, ready to protect her. "Stop, Pein! It isn't worth it."

Panting with clenched fists, Pein cocked his head towards the beast. "Deal with that while I deal with her," he muttered, voice husky.

Deidara hesitated, eyes dropping to Sakura's battered form. "But you can't kill her!"

"Don't put words in my mouth. I never said I was going to kill her." Anger rising, he raised his partizan threateningly. "Unless you want me to impale you then do as I fucking say!" The charred flesh spread across his cheek, reaching the corner of his mouth. Smoke exuded from the mark, the demon inhaling the smell of his own burning skin, wincing as the pain increased. He didn't have the patience and, if anyone tested him, they'd meet their untimely (albeit temporary) end.

Sasori grabbed hold of Deidara's arm, pulling him away. As the blonde moved further and further, his heart jumped into his throat. He didn't like seeing Sakura upset and the fear that Pein may harm her overwhelmed him.

"Deidara, your purpose is to follow Pein. Punishments are punishments whether it's us or her," Sasori murmured. "You can't change that."

"I get that, but I just..." He didn't want to see her hurt.

Throwing down his partizan, their enraged leader continued forward. Disoriented and dizzy, Sakura struggled to her feet. Retreating, she was blown off of her feet once again as a shockwave of force propelled her away. Sakura remembered the moment on her first mission into Hell, the demons swarming him until Pein weighed them down with a production of magnified gravity. Presently, he seemed to be restraining the power greatly, only throwing her off of her feet in tiny pulses. Every step, he'd send her face-first into the dirt. She fell like a ragdoll, her limbs unable to catch herself.

Close enough to grab her, Pein shook her in his hands. "By my authority, I revoke your title. From here on, you'll no longer have any knowledge of our endeavors. We will cease to exist to you."

"You can't do that," she shouted.

Eyes wild, Pein resisted the urge to attack, his demonic characteristics dominating the morality he held for human life. "I would rather tear your fucking throat out, but that will only cause more trouble for me than good. Be grateful that this is the only thing I'm doing to you."

She spit in his face. "You have no control over me."

He snarled, grabbing hold of the back of her head and pushing it into the dirt. "Then you shouldn't have bothered asking to be a member of our team!"

On the battlefield, Kakuzu unleashed his tendrils from his arms and mouth, wrapping the threads around the snake's body. Flexing, the monster destroyed its bindings, lashing out at the group with its tail. Bombs detonated overhead, debris flying into its face.

Deidara drove his body underneath its jaw, barely escaping its fangs. "Pein isn't happy. I wonder what's going on, hm."

Sasori stood aside, waiting for an opening. "How would you feel if half of your face was scorched by a ward? He has every right to be angry at her."

Kisame cut through its hindside, the tail nearly ripped apart in several gashes. Hissing, it launched towards him, its teeth running through crowds of rock behind its target as he evaded its attack.

"How about we focus on the damn snake rather than those two?" he suggested.

Slicing through a portion of its neck, Hidan growled out, "The fucking skin on this thing is thick. What kind of experiments did Orochimaru do?"

"Kill it and we'll find out more later," Sasori answered.

Without warning, the snake roared ferociously, tremors shaking the ground below them. They readied their weapons, but staggered for balance as the snake dug through the earth, upturning large boulders and collapsing columns of rock. Creating a hole large enough for it to squeeze through, it slithered inside, burrowing like an earthworm in a patch of soil.

"Don't be alarmed," Sasori started, stepping back as a rock barely fell inches from crushing him, "We've dealt with worse demons than this. Once it emerges, we'll kill it."

They waited, but the demon's head didn't erupt from the ground as Sasori expected. In time, the vibrations diminished in power. Confused, the group huddled together.

"What's going on? Did it stop moving?" Deidara questioned.

Sasori didn't understand. Was it retreating because of the risk? His eyes followed the track of its movements until the answer left his mouth open in astonishment. No, it wasn't escaping, it was going after an easier target.

Two that weren't involved in the battle.

"Quickly! It's heading towards Sakura and Pein!" Sasori announced, sprinting.

Unaware of the danger they were facing, Pein roughly tossed Sakura from his grasp. "You're nothing more than an overgrown brat with no consideration for anyone else's sake."

"If that's the truth then maybe you should have killed me from the start," she yelled.

"Maybe I should have," he spat, drawing away as he noticed Sakura's features tense.

Behind them, the others shouted to gain their attention. "Pein! Sakura! Its targeting you!"

Both stalled, still feeling the effects of Pein's cruel words. Bursting through the solid earth, the snake unhinged its jaw, swallowing the pair as they fell into its mouth. Their comrades yelled out, but the snake retreated into its tunnels underground, escaping their sight yet again. Deidara threw a barrage of bombs inside, the explosions causing more destruction around them.

Kakuzu subdued him, forcing Deidara to cease his actions. "Stop. If you crush the snake, it may kill them both."

"We can't just leave them! Pein doesn't have his partizan and Sakura will..." Deidara bit his tongue, stomping his foot in frustration. "Damn it! What the hell do we do?!"

Shifting his gaze towards the two pillars where Karin was stationed, Sasori began his walk to the vortex. "The beast belongs to Orochimaru, so that's where we're headed." If Orochimaru was the creator, he had to have some information.

He'd beat it out of him, if necessary.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura screamed, clasping for anything that she could possibly latch onto. The rubber-like folds provided little support as she sank her nails into the tissue desperately. With its jaw snapping closed, the membranes surrounding the esophagus constricted causing both to lose their grasp and fall into the back of the snake's throat. The soft coating surrounding the canal eased their passage, both stuck inside helplessly.

Pounding her fists frantically, Sakura continued to scream and cry out for the others. "Deidara! Kisame! Hidan! Help us out of here!"

"It's pointless. They lost track of it. Otherwise, we'd have been freed by now," Pein responded.

Tightening her fists, she continued the fruitless effort. "Please, get us out! Hurry, please!"

Pein turned his head, growing irritated. "Yes, continue to act like a fool. That always seems to help."

"Then use your fucking partizan! Oh, wait! You dropped it like an idiot! Who else is a fool?!" she sputtered heatedly.

Pein leaned against the muscled wall behind him. "Calm down. They'll free us as soon as they can and we can move on with our lives separately."

"Not unless we're digested," she muttered.

"That would take a few days to happen. Right now, we'll have to sit and wait. In fact, we're lucky that we were just swallowed, being impaled or exposed to its venom would have met our fate much faster."

"Yeah, _so_ lucky."

Silence befell them, their minds transported to minutes earlier. Tempers flaring, overruling their common sense. Hurt hidden beneath words like a tattered sheet covering a sobbing child. Both were left wounded in different ways. Sakura's heart ached inside of her chest, the pain of feeling alienated by one of the few people she sought approval from cutting deep like a knife. Pein regretted his words, everything that caused them to fall into this predicament. He lost his mind, ready to raise his hand to her. His last words uttered - completely heartless.

Sakura eased down, her knees bent as both arms wound around them. Verdite eyes darted to the menacing figure opposite of her, examining the horrific burn on his face. She found her actions disgusting, her anger invoking a physical attack that was not justified. Sakura had no excuses for herself, knowing well that what she did was wrong. It frightened her that she could spiral out of control while her restraint remained nonexistent.

"Sorry that I, uh, burnt your face with the omamori," she said quietly. "I shouldn't have done that... even if I was angry." _Still angry._

Combing his fingers through his hair, he blew a slow breath from his lungs. "The punch seemed to rectify your actions. Even if it wasn't intentional."

"That punch was nothing. I can't even feel it," she lied, her tongue sliding over the chipped premolar on her lower jaw.

Returning to their awkward silence, Sakura thought of his final words and the hurt accompanying them.

_"Maybe I should have!"_

She held her knees closer to her chest. "Pein."

"What?"

"Is this it for us? Do you really want me to stop helping you?" she asked.

Crossing his arms, Pein stood firmly on his decision. "Yes. Without the weapon, and with the possibility of Heaven turning against us, your life will be at risk greatly."

"That's not what you were saying before you found out about it from Konan," she pointed out.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why are you so insistent on fighting without something to defend yourself with? The opportunity is right in front of your face. Your stupidity baffles me."

"Well, I don't know, Pein. Maybe it's the opportunity that's 'right in front of my face' that could kill me. You're blatant disregard for that pisses me off," she snipped.

Shoulders hunched, Pein continued, "You agreed to follow my orders and that includes retrieving the weapon. I'm not going to allow any leniency just because you're human." He paused, pursing his lips. "Anyway, it doesn't matter now. You're no longer involved with our pursuits, so the subject is irrelevant."

Jumping to her feet, Sakura leered down at her 'leader'. "You're throwing all of the time we've spent together away because of one stupid weapon?! How much am I actually worth to you, Pein? Is it common protocol for a demon to sever ties with someone, simply because they refused an order? Forgive me, my _precious_ Lord Pein, for actually giving a fuck about my own life for a change!"

Furious, Pein towered over Sakura, his anger matching hers. "Our situation doesn't just revolve around you. That is where your ignorance shows! If Indra does start a war against the demons, many of my people will die by his hand. I thought you understood that, but you're no more different than the rest of the humans on Earth."

"But it wasn't meant to be this way! I never expected to get this deep into it - especially since it's something I still don't understand fully. This whole angels versus demons thing is insane! Why should I be centered around it?! I'm like a fucking rabbit trying to fight against a pack of wolves. Can you not see that? I've had so many goddamn close calls than I've had friends. Why should I fight alongside you when I'd probably be the first to die? I have nothing to back myself up with. I don't have magical superpowers or durability. I'll snap in half like a twig! How do you expect me to fight against angels?!"

"Angels can't kill humans - it's against their sacred oath. They would never expect it. You would be the ace up our sleeve," he answered, matter-of-fact.

She ran her hands through her hair, nerves frayed. "Does that make it any less bad? If I join your side, it doesn't mean that the demons are going to stop attacking me. And at that, I may just drop dead after holding the weapon anyway! This entire 'revolution' you're preparing for is complete shit like I've said before!" Sakura paused, a balled-up fist pressed against her lips. "I'm scared, Pein. Things like this are only written in storybooks. I thought I was different too - really, I did. I thought that this entire 'thing' happened for a reason. I actually thought that I was something special. But you were right. I'm just another human like the billions of others, nothing more."

Sitting back down, Sakura buried her face in her hands. "It's fun fighting demons with you guys, but I still have things that I want to do in my own life. It's getting harder and harder for me to balance the two and having you mention this weapon that could kill me makes it even worse. I don't know what to do. I'm not the heroine of some kid's novel..."

"Those demons could have killed you. Any one of them could have just as one of Zetsu's had you knocking on Death's door."

"But I'm given choices. I can run and hide if I feel there's no chance of defeating them. Don't forget that you're always there to protect me. This weapon has no choices other than wielding and succumbing to what it deems worthy or leave it alone. You won't be there to make sure I'm safe. It's all up to me," she responded.

"Is that such a bad thing? Konan explained it clearly to me: the individual that desires to wield it has to have a strong, unwavering heart. If you're confident in your abilities, you won't have a problem. And, once it accepts you as its new master, it will grant you a world of power that no man has held in your lifetime," Pein urged.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, lowering her head. "So you're telling me this now? Your expectations are too high. Why are you so certain that it will accept me?"

"Because I've seen you at your best, Sakura. Nothing can sway the determination and strength that you already possess," he answered, earnest.

She glared at him, pushing her body against the wall of the snake's esophagus. "You're always gushing about me and I don't get it. Taking me along for the trip won't make the battle easier, I would just be in the way. I can die, remember? You'd have to have someone beside me the entire time trying to protect me. Demons, falling rocks, anything!"

"If it's war against the angels, we hold the risk of dying, as well," Pein retorted.

"That's right and if one of you died because I got in the way, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. It would be my fault!"

"You're doubting your abilities like always. If you took the weapon as your own, you'd have a very minimal amount of training to work through. Afterwards, you'd be a force to be reckoned with - a fair enough equal against them just as you'd be an equal with us."

Sakura couldn't believe that. "It isn't possible. A person like me having the power of a demon?"

Pein crept closer, their eyes locking. "You will never know if you don't bother finding out."

OoOoOOoOoO

Kisame hacked through the thick, thorny brush, creating a path for the others to pass safely. Sliding through, Hidan kept his arms to his chest. He hated the trips to Orochimaru's lair. Everything appeared slimy and untouchable, covered in some strange layer of murky, grainy ooze. Did the bastard ever bother to clean up after his little creations?

Sasori investigated the site, his eyes searching for his target. "Orochimaru, we need to speak with you."

"What more do the dogs of Pein want with me? I have no fallen angels in my custody." The silky voice that belonged to the demonic scientist echoed throughout the examination room, bouncing off the walls in every direction.

Hidan stomped his foot on a curious spider. "Show yourself, prick! We know that _you_ know your fucking experiment is on the loose!"

Light footsteps approached them, the group arming themselves. Flames flickered in the cressets mounted on the walls, the demon showing himself to his guests.

"It was a shame, really. I was growing fond of it."

"Why did you release it?" Kakuzu inquired.

Orochimaru paced the floor, stopping at one of the many stone tables stained with dried blood. He ran his fingers along the crevices, the cracks bringing back such splendid memories of past experiments. "I didn't release it. The poor creature was spooked upon Indra's arrival."

"Indra? You mean the angel?" Deidara asked, astonished.

He nodded, a slight frown curving the corners of his mouth. It angered him to find his experiments in such a state of panic that it escaped, but traversing the many realms of Hell wasn't a task sorted for someone such as him.

Sasori stepped forward, pressuring him for more answers. "Talk. What was Indra doing here?"

"After the butcher of Zetsu's clan, he needed someone to care for his inventory of demon's blood. Itachi was getting too close, so he requested that I watch over them." He smiled. "Afterall, I'm the one that aided him in such a task. One wouldn't expect a superior officer such as Indra to risk his life acquiring it."

Hidan threw his head back in disgust. "Wait, you fucking helped him kill Zetsu's beetles? Are you crazy?"

"Why the hell would you do that?" Deidara remarked.

Orochimaru closed his eyes, the smile on his face still in place. "Don't fret. I have no qualms against Zetsu, but you must understand. If I'm given the opportunity to study something that was once beyond my reach, I won't deny myself the chance to gain knowledge from it."

"What could you possibly learn from killing your own kind in bad blood?" Sasori responded.

His pale hand rested over the large bloodstain coating the rock's surface. "Do you perhaps remember the angel Kabuto? You see, he was given to me as a bargaining chip - he wasn't exactly a model of righteousness. Indra wanted to test the potency of demon's blood on an angel so I-"

"What the fuck are you saying?! Demon's blood and angels and other shit like that! Get to the goddamn point!" Hidan yelled. That snake could be two levels down and they wouldn't know. The longer they were away from Pein and Sakura, the more likely that the two would meet their ends.

Bristled by Hidan's rudeness, Orochimaru contained his anger to the best of his ability. "Little fool. Indra gave Kabuto to me to test demon's blood, so I gathered enough from a few of my freshest corpses and gave it to the boy. Indra granted me this task to perform, but sadly Kabuto could not withstand even a few drops of the measured dose. We ultimately threw him out and Indra claimed that he escaped, devoured by a group of rogue demons."

Gliding his tongue along his jagged teeth, Kisame appeared disgruntled by this new information. "I see. So you were the one that gave us more work to do." Although Sakura was the one that defeated the demon with her omamori, going through the vortex and passing the other realms wasn't a very ideal way for him to waste time.

The dark-haired demon cocked his head. "I apologize for that, I suppose. Indra, of course, wanted to keep you busy."

"Zetsu was fairly upset that a large majority of his clan was murdered. Don't tell me that he targeted them because he was collecting demon's blood," Sasori wondered.

Orochimaru shrugged his shoulders. "I think you have it figured out..."

Walking around the table to their 'host', Sasori stopped inches away from his face. "What else do you know about this? What are Indra's intentions and what is he seeking to do with the demon's blood?"

Orochimaru didn't waver, his glassy eyes staring unperturbed at Sasori. "I didn't ask questions, I only heard what he wanted me to hear."

Hidan groaned, "Then that means that Itachi may tell him about the portal. We're in deep shit now." He was reminded of the predicament that brought them to Orochimaru's doorstep in the first place. "Oh, damn that's right! How do we track down your stupid snake?"

Furrowing his brow, Orochimaru hid his clenched fists behind his back. How he loathed Hidan's brusque mannerisms. "That experiment is attracted to large masses of life. Since it escaped through the vortex, it's heading to the next section of Hell with the highest population of damned souls."

"And that would be..?" Deidara shut his mouth as Sasori released a heavy sigh.

Turning his back to their suspect, Sasori walked in the direction of the vortex. "Let's go. We have no time to waste. Once we find the creature, we'll explain everything we know to Pein." _Tier-two. The thing is headed to Tier-Two. Perfect._

Orochimaru bid them farewell, "You didn't hear anything from me."

OoOoOOoOoO

Throat dry. Stomach growling. Sakura sat down. Her jaw ached terribly, the pain intensifying. She was tired, forcing herself to stay awake. If she closed her eyes, she may never wake up again, so she _had_ to keep going.

The others were coming for her. She knew it.

They dropped the subject of the weapon hours ago, Sakura just didn't have the energy to continue arguing. He didn't understand. Parts of her wanted to go, retrieve the weapon and fight alongside them, but the other side of her wanted to focus on her goal of graduating school and becoming a doctor, to make her parents proud, and to show everyone that she could do it.

_Either way, you're seeking acceptance and approval. You're not doing anything for yourself. Everything you've reached for was created by someone else._

She scratched at a healing scrape on her forearm. But she had made entering medical school her own dream. It wasn't possible that her parents cultivated that thought in her head.

_What, do you really believe that all the blood, sweat, and tears poured into studying was your own idea? Don't you remember having friends? Spending time outside? No, all you remember is being cooped up in your stuffy bedroom, nose pushed into a book every night. Barely eating the weeks before exams, crumpled over your desk asleep. You didn't have a life outside of school, you were a robot - following every order your mother uttered._

Sakura couldn't accept that she was speaking to herself, the bitterness of her past personified in a voice too harsh and angry to be her own.

_You're hesitant because you're afraid that Pein's going to push you like your parents did, right? You're afraid that you won't be making any more choices like you did when you first met them. Killing that demon was fun, wasn't it? Face-to-face with a demon while only equipped with a single charm and destroying it while the others couldn't. It was thrilling. Your heart still skips a beat when you think back to it._

_Why wouldn't you want that again? Be the boss like you want to be. Here, you do more than you could have imagined. You've felt the fingers of death graze your skin and survived. There's something about that scar running down your stomach that excites you. It's sad that the only time you ever feel alive is when you're surrounded by the damned of your own kind._

She felt a mass drop beside her. Looking up, she found Pein staring ahead.

"Go to sleep. You need rest," he stated.

Sakura shook her head slowly, a yawn building in her throat. "No, I can't. If I go to sleep, I may not wake up again. I don't want to die in the belly of a snake."

"That won't happen. I'll make sure of it."

She covered her mouth as the yawn escaped from her lips. "Why can't you just use your force push?"

"The amount of energy I would need for us to escape would kill you. I wouldn't risk that." Grabbing the crown of her head, he guided it to his shoulder. "Now, sleep."

Sighing in defeat, Sakura closed her eyes. She had never been so close to a man before. The strong scent of burning wood perforated her senses. Did he always smell like this? Why would she bother taking a sniff of him anyway? Being trapped inside of snake had her mind in shambles.

"Firewood," she murmured.

"Hm?"

"You smell like a bonfire... like wood thrown on a small fire at the beach." She buried her face into his clothes, inhaling the scent. She was too tired to care anymore.

She needed to sleep on things.

OoOoOOoOoO

Grabbing Sasori's shoulder, Kakuzu stopped him before he entered Tier-Two. "Wait."

"What is it?" Sasori questioned, impatient.

Kakuzu pointed to a few boulders beside the vortex. "You should wait here. It's not safe for you to enter Tier-Two."

Sasori rolled his eyes, scoffing. "I'll be fine. Do I need to remind you that weeks ago you entered Tier-Five without a worry?"

"We spent a short amount of time there. The effects were relatively tolerant." Feeling the scathing winds of Tier-Two on his bare face, Kakuzu turned back to Sasori. "We don't know how long we'll be down here. You should know, of all the people here, that it isn't wise."

"It's not like we need your body-control powers anyway. The snake's too big for you to capture," Deidara expressed.

Sasori ground his teeth. "Don't undermine my abilities. It takes more time to control a beast of that size, but I can do it. I'm the second-in-command during Pein's absence, so you need me."

"No, you're staying here. If it escapes, you'll be on guard and ready to attack," Kakuzu decided.

As they followed their new leader into the next level of Hell, Sasori sat alone, furious. They always shrugged off his abilities until he would prove to them that they were absolutely necessary. He was the one that captured Sasuke. Countless times, he saved them time and energy.

He'd prove it to them some day. The fools.

OoOoOOoOoO

Tier-Two was comprised of the sinners of lust - swathed in blankets of blistering heat and violent winds that tore them through the flame-red skies without rest. Their cries and moans of agony lost in every second of the gusts that swept them back and forth. The tier held some of the largest amount of damned souls, many overcome by adultery and other lascivious acts.

Deidara wiped away the sweat on his brow, swallowing heavy breaths as the stuffy, humid air made it difficult to breathe. "Is it just me or is it even possible for that thing to survive down here?"

"It's one of Orochimaru's experiments. Who knows what he threw together to make it," Kisame answered.

Thinking back to their time in Orochimaru's lair, Deidara wondered aloud, "I've never heard of an angel drinking demon's blood before. Has that ever happened?"

"No, it hasn't. I don't understand why Indra would bother even trying to see what it does," Kakuzu answered.

"Maybe it's like Pein said. Maybe Indra really wants to start a war with demons." He mindlessly grabbed a handful of clay from his pouch, stuffing it into the lone mouth on his hand. "Everyone knows what an angel's blood does to demons... Why wouldn't our blood do something to them, hm?"

Their group fell silent, thoughts riddled with Orochimaru's words. Angels couldn't sin, they were bound by the holy words of the Master. But Indra was different, the commander in place - a seat at the Master's side.

Demons and angels had their lifelong feud, but neither parties expected their resentment for each other to die down or escalate. It simply began and never ended. The Master would never allow blood to be shed on either side willingly - battle wasn't in their nature as angels were created with compassion in mind.

The dried earth cracked underneath their feet, sending the spindly, thin gaps spreading out like fragile ice. Surrounding them, flames erupted in the barren foliage - leafless trees and bushes set aflame due to the dry climate.

"I don't feel anything." Hidan seemed doubtful that the creature was anywhere close. Sasori claimed to be the smartest, but his ideas always dropped like a dead dog. Too bad he wasn't accompanying them, he'd rub it in his annoying-

Rumbling underneath the ground alerted them to ready their weapons. The demon circled them like a shark in dark waters. Crumbling the earth with its massive size, it finally showed itself.

"Attack its head! We're not letting it get away again!" Kakuzu ordered.

Sakura awoke with a start as the walls of the snake's throat began to constrict. Holding onto her, Pein kept her close as they slid further down the long, winding tube.

"What's going on?" Sakura yelled, trying to stabilize the two of them by pressing her feet against the walls.

Pein copied her actions, but the slick coating made it impossible. "I'm not sure. It's too early for us to fall into its stomach." Suddenly, they were thrown back, Pein pinning his body over hers.

"Did you feel that? It wasn't at all like the first one." It seemed that some outside force was throwing its own weight against the snake's.

Through the thick hide, Pein could hear yelling - the sound of Deidara's voice seeping through the layers of membranes and muscle. "It's Deidara. They've found us."

Sakura was overjoyed, throwing her fists against the wall. "Yes! Cut it to pieces, guys! Just don't kill us!"

On the field, Kakuzu wrapped his tendrils around Hidan's waist. Throwing him towards their target Hidan worked himself like a tetherball pole. Using his strength to raise the scythe over his head, he brought the sharp blades down, hammering the tips into one of the eyes of the snake. Digging it deeply into the snake's skull, he was pulled back by Kakuzu's threads, simultaneously ripping the blade from its scaly flesh.

It screamed out, blood leaking from its eye like endless tears. Lunging at the pair, Deidara blasted bombs over it's head then again at its slithering form. His bombs blew through its scales, revealing the sensitive muscle and tissue underneath.

Unhinging its jaw, venom dripped from its fangs, their foe ready to inject it's man-killing poison. Kisame propelled himself towards the beast. Reeling Samehada back, he used every muscle in his arms and back - the sword shattering its fangs to pieces. Venom sprayed from the gland, the talented swordsman evading the spurts as he jumped through its hanging mouth. Landing on his feet, he met with the others as they prepared their final set.

Deidara molded tiny birds, substituting some clay for adhesive. Running with the speed of no ordinary man, he launched up the rocky wall. Losing momentum, he hurriedly grabbed onto the nearest ledge. Throwing the little, clay birds, they plastered perfectly on the joining of the snake's head and neck. Detonating them in sync, the snake released a miserable cry of pain and shock.

With the hardened scales blown away, Kakuzu twirled Hidan around, extending his line of threads as he approached the necessary speed for Hidan's scythe to finish the job. Taking his weapon, Hidan prepared himself with a gutsy grin. Just enough for his scythe to reach, Hidan sliced through the exposed flesh. The offender's attack snapped the vertebrae, blood pouring like a fountain as the clean cut sent its head flying. As the head dropped with a large, audible thud, Hidan joined his team as Kakuzu released him.

Deidara raced forward, digging through the remnants of their enemy in search for their friends. His hands, soaked with blood, continued until Hidan began hacking through it to help. Kisame joined in, sawing through the hide.

The smallest of voices generated surprise from the group. "Guys, guys! We're over here!"

"Sakura!" Deidara cried out, running down the long, lifeless body of the snake.

Reaching her, Hidan cut through the snake's remaining corpse, creating an opening for its captives to escape. Climbing through on her hands and knees, Sakura stood up, taking a deep breath of the open air surrounding them. It was such a sudden change in temperature, causing her to fall back onto her knees.

Coming to her aid, Deidara held her in his arms. "Sakura? What's wrong?"

With the help of Kakuzu and Kisame, Pein exited the snake's tract and examined the girl held by his comrade. "It's unsafe for her to be here." Retrieving a scroll from his sleeve, Pein handed it to Deidara. "Take her to the mortal world."

Deidara agreed, unraveling the scroll. In a beam of blinding light, he vanished with Sakura in tow.

Turning to his remaining team, Pein appeared curious. "How did you find us so quickly?"

"We spoke to Orochimaru," Kakuzu answered. "We've got alot to discuss with you, Pein."

Arching a brow, he traveled with them back to the entrance. "I assume we're going to retrieve Sasori?"

"Sasori, your partizan, and the chest that were all left behind," Kisame groaned. He just wanted to relax.

This day was far too excitable for his tastes.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura's body felt immediate relief after drinking five consecutive bottles of water. Her stomach still growled, begging for sustenance, but she stubbornly sat at the couch, waiting for the others to come home.

Deidara threaded his fingers together, watching her as she stared, unblinking, at the floorboards. "Sakura, you should go to sleep. I'm pretty sure you're exhausted."

"I slept a little while inside the snake. Hard to believe, but I'll feel better once I know that everyone's okay," she said, refusing to budge an inch.

He smiled, "Sakura, you must really care about us if you're this worried."

Breaking her eyes away from the planks of wood, Sakura met gazes with the young man sitting beside her. "I guess." She slumped back, nestling into the comfortable seat of the couch. "You guys are the first people I've known that let me make up my own mind. I mean, well, it's kind of hard to explain."

He waited patiently as she remembered the turmoil bubbling inside of her while trapped. She never knew what real freedom felt like until she met them. They gave her options, not cheap tactics or guilt trips like her mother often performed. Of course they were stern - Pein had to have his orders heard and carried out, but it was vastly different compared to what it felt like while living with her parents.

_"Sakura, you didn't receive a good mark in mathematics! Here, I've grabbed a handful of practice books. Don't worry, though. I'll check them every night when you go to bed, so you should finish two lessons now!"_

_"Here, you should be studying for English, not World History! I'll time you, so it feels like the real thing."_

_"No, no! You can't go to a school in Yuga! Places like those are meant for neanderthals and lazy brats! Look, I've been searching online and Konoha's medical university is the perfect fit! You'll really shine there!"_

Bowing her head, Sakura hid a faint smile behind her hands. She was so stupid not to see it. It was her dream to become a doctor and she never noticed that she was sharing that same dream with her mother. Sakura's throat was caught in her mother's grip, strangling her into submission. Perhaps it was through all the years of strict discipline and manipulation that she hadn't noticed her parents' 'good intentions' creeping inside of her like a parasite.

So many mountains of obstacles that she's climbed over, and yet she still seeks approval from others because of her mother's obsession with success. The inner voice inside of her was right.

A hand rested on her shoulder. Peering through the gaps of her fingers, she noticed Deidara scooting closer. Wrapping his arm over her back, he gently pulled her into his space. Her body leaned against his frame, her head turned to lay against his chest. Curious, she inhaled the aroma ingrained into the fabric of his cloak.

Earthy, with the added mixture of sweat and blood. A tinge of gunpowder laying beneath the strong scents. The smell reminded her of a visit to a small town outside of Konoha, a festival celebrating Japan's emperor. At night, they set off countless explosions of colors into the sky.

"You smell like fireworks," she said, reeling back from his body.

Taking a hold of his cloak, he sniffed at the fabric. "Do I?" He couldn't find the smell through his clothes. "It must be because I used alot of bombs today, hm."

She laughed softly, "That's probably true. I'm grateful that you were there to help." She held her breath as he approached her, taking in a long breath through his nose. "What are you doing?!"

"You smelled me, so why can't I smell you?" he pointed out.

"Well then? What do I smell like?"

"Total shit, hm. Like the insides of a dead animal."

Red-faced, she punched his arm. "Shut up! You try smelling nice after being eaten!" In a huff, she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

"I never expected you to smell nice! I wasn't trying-" Deidara was interrupted as the rest of their team emerged from the floor.

"Pein!" Sakura rushed to their leader. "I need to talk to you!"

"Get a shower. I'm not going to sit here in misery while you gab on and on with that horrid smell lingering here," he said, pushing her back.

Two times she'd heard that! And less than a minute apart! "Hey, you were with me inside Orochimaru's experiment too!"

"We cleaned up in the river before we came back," Kisame snickered.

Hidan plugged his nose. "Damn, it's worse now that we're in such a small place together!"

Sakura stomped her foot. "Fine! I'll go get a shower." She marched through the hallway, grumbling all the way to the bathroom. "I'll smell better than all of you when I'm done!"

Slamming the door, Pein turned his attention to the rest of them, the mood serious. "We need to find the reason for Indra's interest in demon's blood. If this becomes war, he may have already found a use for it to fight against us."

"You don't think that he's using demon's blood to gain power, do you?" Deidara asked, worried.

Pein wasn't sure. "Orochimaru didn't have the opportunity to learn the full explanation behind Indra's plan. If a demon can become invincible after consuming angel's blood then what could arise when an angel ingests a demon's? He could have a near-endless amount of demon's blood by now in preparation for something grand."

"What do we do then? We can't just barge into Heaven and accuse him," Kakuzu reasoned.

Pein sighed, twisting one of the studs pierced along the bridge of his nose. This was becoming too troublesome and it was growing out of his control. If he had only spotted it sooner. He should have expected that the entire event with Zetsu was a distraction.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sasuke kept to himself, the itching, the need to flee growing worse and worse as the days moved by. He laid restlessly in bed, the snores of his fellow angels filling the silence around him. His fingers twitched, sight drifting to the sword resting against his post.

He reached for it, muscles aching for the grasp of his chokuto's grip. His mind swept him away to the time he spent in Hell, the sound of his blade cutting through the brainless demons, collecting them for Master Orochimaru. The stench of blood, the warmth of the liquid splattering on his skin as he finished off yet another target. In exchange for his work, he was given a living space and power that only he could wield. Sasuke believed he had the better end of the bargain.

Fingers grazed the grip swells, the sounds of his own longing sighs taking priority over the calm, slow breaths of the sleeping angels.

Itachi wasn't who he was before - a lapdog for Indra to kick around had taken his place. Nobody cared for him. He didn't want to be a tool to satisfy Indra's goals. Under the eyes of such an angel caused his blood to boil. In Heaven, he was just another talent wasted.

And he didn't want to be in such a place any longer.

Grabbing his sword, he hastily exited his shared quarters. The light of torches strung to walls guided him through the outer garden, loud cheering and merry-making echoing through the feasting halls.

No more kneeling. No more following orders. No more Indra.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" The sound of his brother's voice froze him in his tracks.

Turning, he held his sword behind his back. "Nothing."

"It's too late for you to be wandering about," Itachi started. "You should go back to bed."

Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. "I'm not tired."

Itachi moved closer, causing Sasuke to step back. Puzzled, Itachi's eyes dropped to his younger brother's hidden hands. "What is it that you have?" he asked, feeling uneasy.

"It's nothing! Stop worrying about me constantly," Sasuke snapped.

Raising his hand, Itachi carefully removed Sasuke's from behind his back, revealing the weapon. "What... are you doing with your sword out, Sasuke? What's the meaning of this?" His heart sank into his chest, the concern for his brother growing stronger with every passing second.

Sasuke furrowed his brow, his own heart racing in his chest. The pounding of his pulse rang in his ears. "I-it's not like I'm doing anything bad! I was once a knight for Indra, so why can't I walk around with it?!"

"It's _Lord_ _Indra_ , Sasuke," Itachi corrected, expression serious. "And you should hand that to me."

Clutching the sword, Sasuke shook his head. "No, I'm not giving it to you. I won't see it again if it falls in your hands. Don't you trust me?"

Itachi hesitated, biting the inside of his cheek. Extending his arm out, he grabbed hold of the weapon. "I trust you enough to give it to me. Please, don't make this harder than it has to be." The pain in his heart intensified as his brother struggled to keep his hold.

Sasuke clenched his teeth, holding onto the blade as it cut into his fingers. "No, it's mine. If you were my brother you would support me instead of that fake angel that sits above the rest of us!"

"Blasphemy, Sasuke," Itachi hissed. "You must never speak of Indra that way again."

Sasuke wrenched away, sword in hand, slicing at his brother. Blood splattered from the clean cut across Itachi's cheek and nose, speckling Sasuke's clothes. Eyes widened in horror, both attempting to process what had happened.

Senses heightened, Sasuke stepped away. "You were never there for me! Even when I needed you most. While I was beaten mercilessly by Indra, you shriveled back like a coward! A brother wouldn't do that! A brother wouldn't let his own suffer at the hands of someone like him!" Angry tears streamed from his eyes. "You're like the rest of them! The way..." He brought his hand to his face, revolted at himself. "The way you look at me is just as they do. You're no brother of mine!"

"Sasuke-" His brother didn't bother listening, turning away to Heaven's gates. "Sasuke!"

Vision blurred, Sasuke hurried to the golden gates. So close. So close. So close! He held his hand out, pushing open the gates to freedom.

With the swiftness of a predator chasing its prey, Indra appeared in a blur, cutting through Sasuke's outreaching hand. Everything fell into that small pocket of time, Sasuke's dark, unreadable eyes glaring at the angel responsible for his pain yet again. Blood painted the tiled ground as Sasuke fell to his knees, clutching his arm.

Itachi sprinted towards the pair, fear growing in the pit of his stomach, slowing to a stop as Indra turned his gaze to him.

"What... is your brother doing out by the gates so late, Itachi?" Indra asked, his tone eerily light.

Barely finding the will to speak, Itachi failed to find an appropriate response. "I don't know, Lord Indra."

Examining the cut across his face, Indra trailed his sight down to the boy at his feet. "He's in the perfect position, isn't he? Bowing at my feet for forgiveness."

"Yes, my lord," Itachi spoke, uncertain.

"Unfortunately, I have no forgiveness left for traitors," Indra spat, teeth bared. "My leniency to such atrocities in Heaven has finally grown thin."

He lifted his sword above him, directly in line with Sasuke's neck. Itachi came forward, "My lord, wait-"

"Enough protecting this wretch! He's a sinner and he needs to die!" Indra slashed down, eyes set ablaze in a fire of anger.

Sasuke hunched down, accepting his fate. This was it. Perhaps death was a better alternative.

Itachi panicked, eyes darting in every direction. "Pein has another portal!" His voice echoed off the walls, loud enough to silence the cheerful noise in the hall.

Indra stopped short of decapitating the young boy, the blade a hair's width away from absolute death.

"What did you say?" Indra muttered, taking himself a moment to bring his sword down.

The breath he held in Itachi's lungs escaped with a relieved sigh. "I... I found another portal on Earth that ends in Hell. There's-" Indra snagged a handful of Itachi's hair, throwing him to the ground.

Sasuke struggled to lift himself, still clutching his arm. His eyes held a glint of surprise. Did Itachi actually save him?

"Why didn't you tell me?! How long have you known?" Indra shouted, foot resting on the crown of Itachi's head.

Itachi turned to face his leader. "Since my mission to monitor them." He grunted as Indra pushed harder with his foot.

"You sneaky, little..." His sentence ended prematurely as a crowd grew around them. "We'll discuss this in my chambers."

Holstering his prized scimitar, Indra clapped his hands to alert the guards. "Bring them along. We're going to have a wonderful chat."

From the onlookers, Shisui watched on with concern as his two dearest friends were carted off from the entrance.

"Nothing more to see here, people. Go back to your fun or go to bed," a guard angel, Obito, called out.

Taken in the rough grasp of his peers, Sasuke looked on at his brother carried in front of him. This wasn't what he wanted. Itachi didn't deserve to be punished because of him.

_If I had just stayed in bed, this wouldn't have happened._

It was his fault. Everything was always his fault. What problems did he have to overcome to get over Hell's temptations? Why did he involve his brother in these doings? Now, neither one could protect each other. They were at the mercy of Indra and both could end up as corpses by the end of the night.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura stepped into her pair of shorts, fastening the snaps. It felt great to have a shower, cleaning the thick layer of muck off of her poor skin. Now, she could finally tell Pein how she felt.

It was hard for her to come to terms with it, but she had to accept it. Joining them, being by their side through their adventures... it was the only source of excitement she had in her life. She was free to curse, free to fight, free to decide what she wanted. Everything that she's become is because she met them at the perfect moment in her life. By the off-chance that she relented to their threats, her life would be just as miserable as it was in high school.

Sakura refused to be scared of death. It was her choice to stay beside them, join their group, and to fight against any threat that opposed them. She needed the weapon and, just as Pein said, she was much stronger than she believed.

A weapon that could grant her power equal to theirs gave her just another opportunity to move forward with them. She cared about them, and she knew they cared for her.

_I need to work on that. I don't give myself enough credit... I killed a demon on my own with just a crazy idea and I killed another with my bare hands too! Fuck being a weakling, I've survived longer than any human has in Hell!_

Psyching herself up, she jumped down the final steps to the lower level. In the kitchen, Pein sat at the table, eyes fixated on the deep, wave-like patterns in the wood.

"Pein?" Sakura inched towards him on the tips of her toes, smiling.

Resting his hands in his lap, Pein sighed, "What is it?" With the new information given to them by Orochimaru, he wasn't exactly in the best of moods.

Sakura twiddled her thumbs, balancing on her heels. "About the weapon... I've decided that I want to take the risk."

The others, shamelessly overhearing the conversation, joined them in the kitchen. "Seriously?" Hidan exclaimed.

"But you can die!" Deidara reminded, his voice wrought with concern.

"Why now?" Pein asked, standing over her.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "You said it yourself, didn't you? I wouldn't know if I never bothered to find out. Besides, it'd be pretty refreshing if I could kick some of your asses too!" She imagined toppling them into a pile, a sly smirk on her face as she stood unscathed.

"This is a pretty big deal, Sakura. Are you positive that you're one-hundred percent on this?" Kakuzu asked, mildly concerned, although he appeared less so.

"If you guys keep second-guessing my decisions, you're going to make it harder for me to do things," she griped, nudging the demon's stitched arm.

Throwing her hand out to Pein for affirmation, Sakura grinned, "So do you accept? You can wait for me while I do what it takes to retrieve it!"

Pein took her hand, shaking it. "I will. Sakura, thank you."

Her hand fell limp, the poor girl choking on air. "D-don't say that! It's unlike you to be so polite!"

"Would you rather him say, 'Fuck off, twat'?" Hidan scrutinized, squinting his eyes.

Sakura laughed, "No, it's not that. I've just never heard Pein thank anyone before... It's nice, I promise." Turning to her leader, Sakura bowed to him respectfully. "You're welcome."

Deidara elbowed her, stealing her attention away from Pein. "So? When are you going?" He still was unsure of the situation, but if she said she was willing then he had to support her choice.

"Definitely soon. Classes don't start until another month, but I'll need time to register for my medical courses."

Continuing to chat, a few, hasty knocks sounded beyond her front door. They exchanged a few glances at each other until the rest of her roommates disappeared from her sight. Walking to the door, she wondered who it could it be. Tsunade wasn't due to return until next week and she wasn't expecting a delivery.

Opening the door just an inch, Sakura recognized the spiky, blonde hair of her co-worker. "Naruto?"

"Hey, Sakura-chan! How're you doing?" His right hand hid behind his back, a toothy grin spread over his mouth as he stood below the summer sun.

She invited him in, closing the door behind her. "I'm fine, but what are you doing here?"

Shoulders laxed, smile receding, Naruto scratched at his cheek nervously. "I've been thinking, Sakura-chan... And I really like you! I mean - err, um - let's go do something fun!"

Sakura didn't understand as his words became muddled the more he spoke. "What?"

Closing his eyes, Naruto breathed deeply through his nose, exhaling the remaining air from his lungs out of his mouth. Revealing the small bouquet of sunflowers from behind his back, he presented them to her.

"Sakura-chan, please go on a date with me!"


	11. A Rebel of Sorts

Beads of sweat rolled down the nape of his neck, the summer sun seeping through the curtains outlined his form. To Sakura, the light emitting around him made him look strangely like some of the angels artists painted.

"Sakura-chan, please go on a date with me?" His voice broke slightly, the words spilling from his mouth like vomit.

Disbelief caused her face to scrunch up. "Why?"

He pulled the bouquet to his chest, her question causing him to stammer, "...b-because I like you?" Shaking his head, he regained his lost composure. "I like you and I want to get to know you more!"

Camouflaged, Hidan encircled the boy. "What the hell is he trying to do? Looks like he's going to shit his pants." He didn't like the kid when they were first introduced, now he despised him. There were no obvious reasons why, but it didn't have to make sense to Hidan. Once he hated someone, no-one could alter his train of thought.

"Must have taken him quite the lot of courage. However, his efforts are fruitless," Sasori remarked, examining her acquaintance along with Hidan.

"Give the kid a break," Kisame replied. "He has the balls to approach her which is okay." Suddenly, he bumped against Deidara. "Unlike someone."

"Shhh, hm!"

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto stated, uncertain.

The eye of every sunflower gazed back at her, coaxing her to accept his request. She couldn't fathom it, it was ridiculous! How did he come to this conclusion?! A real date!

Pein leaned against the archway to the kitchen, arms crossed over his chest with eyes beholding the scene with great interest. He barely remembered the boy from however many weeks ago they were introduced as her 'roommates', but apparently they had some sort of relationship.

Regardless of their time at work, she rarely spoke of anyone, making it unlikely for the two to be as close as this boy thought.

Sakura never appeared to be the kind swept up in lovey-dovey, fairytale gestures either. As if someone so brutish and self-righteous would accept an offer of romantic frolicking like this. No shining knight or smooth-talking flirt would hold a chance.

Fingers coiled around the group of stems, Sakura's eyes tore away from the bouquet. "Naruto, this is so sweet... but I can't accept this." Her shoulders slumped, the air from her lungs released in a captured sigh. "I don't feel the same way."

He visibly shrank, the words slapping him across his face. Sakura stood in smothering silence as he attempted to collect himself, the scene causing her throat to tighten. Her invisible friends seemed pleased.

Naruto chuckled, his nerves showing. A mixture of humiliation and embarrassment burned at his cheeks and ears. No matter how prepared he was to accept her answer, the sting of rejection still hurt.

"Okay, um, that's..." He scratched the bridge of his nose, sniffing once. "It's cool."

Pein masked his smug smirk behind his hand. A little boy like him was no match for her. She was a strong, ridiculously independent woman that needed someone who could keep up with her. The kid seemed too spindly and soft.

She blinked, eyes darting to him then to the flowers in her hands. Presenting them to him, Sakura spoke quietly, "Here, you can have them back."

"No, you keep them. I bought them on my way here and I-" Naruto stopped himself from rambling. "I'll see you at work, Sakura-chan. Don't freak out over this, okay? Pretend it never happened."

Biting at her lip, Sakura tried to think of a solution that would leave both of them happy. Naruto was a good guy - he really was - but she couldn't look at him in a romantic light. Ever. But if he left depressed, it would kill her.

On cue, her stomach growled loudly, captivating their attention. Looking up at the blonde, she hurried to him.

"Why don't we go out to eat?" she suggested. Unknowingly behind her, Pein frowned, one corner of his mouth twitching in irritation.

With his hand gripped on the doorknob, Naruto looked over his shoulder, bewildered. "But you said that you don't feel the same way about me," he pointed out.

Sakura playfully punched his shoulder, easing the tension between them. "Come on, Naruto. We can be friends and eat together too, right? What about that ramen shop you're always talking about?"

A natural smile spread over his lips. "Yeah, that'd be great! I..." His cheeks flared up again. "Thanks, Sakura-chan."

"It's nothing, Naruto. Let me get my bag from upstairs!" she said, setting the bouquet on her coffee table.

Rushing upstairs, she rummaged through the pile of dirty clothes on her floor in search of her bag. Finding it underneath a pair of torn clothes from training, she stopped midstep as Pein blocked the door.

"What?" she asked.

Pein crossed his arms, head gesturing to the stairs. "You want the weapon, don't you? Why are you humoring him?"

"Another few hours won't kill you, Pein. I'm hungry anyway, so you would have to wait regardless. And Naruto's my friend, so I don't like seeing him upset." She tried to push passed him, but Pein refused to budge. "Move."

"Sakura, you should stay."

"Pein, really? It's not serious," she insisted. Unzipping her bag, she made sure her phone was inside. "He's waiting for me." The demon refused to move out of her way, his declination to reason causing her to question his ulterior motives.

Pressing her hand to his chest, she pushed against him. "I need to go. Why won't you get out of my way?" Waiting for a response, she blew a stray hair off of her face. "Look, I'll get the weapon after this, okay? I promise."

Peering down at her with rigid eyes, Pein caught her in his line of sight. "Hurry back. You have no time to waste on a child."

"Funny. _You_ act like a child when you don't get your way." She smirked.

He cocked his head, face closing in on hers. "Don't try to compare me to that dolt. Even with no-one around, he didn't have the pluck to court you properly."

"But he _did_ ask me," she responded, defending Naruto's actions. And courting? Was this the nineteenth century? At times, she forgot how old he really was.

"Barely coherent," he retorted, rolling his eyes. Moving forward, his hot breath blew across her ear, his voice a low whisper, "You don't want an impotent man."

She eyed him warily. "And what makes you say that?"

"Women like you aren't complacent being tied down to someone so weak."

A hue of red speckled her cheeks. As if this demon knew what her tastes were!

Naruto's voice rang from downstairs. "Sakura-chan? Have you found your bag yet? Do you want me to help you look?"

"It's fine! I think I know where it is!" she called down. Glaring at Pein, she hissed through her teeth, "I never said that I didn't like being tied down. Naruto's just a friend and that's how it will stay."

"Are you implying something?" he asked, intrigued.

She backed away, face blistering hot. "Shut the hell up! I didn't mean anything like that!"

"I see. Regardless, you may come to me if you have any itches that need scratched. I'm sure the others will happily ease your tension, as well." He smiled haughtily as Sakura threw one of her sneakers at him.

Holding the second shoe threateningly, Sakura scowled, "As if I'd fall for something like that!" What was this all of a sudden?! Was she that transparent? This sort of discussion always left her flustered - although she rarely was part of such things, only left to overhear 'private' conversations amongst some of her classmates. Despite that, having someone explain so plain-faced that they would be fine assisting her with some 'stress-relieving pleasure' made her reaction that much more exaggerated.

"Don't misunderstand me. It wasn't my intention for you to think I was being rude. It was quite the opposite, actually," he said calmly.

Sakura lowered her 'weapon' and settled down. "Oh yeah? How could I take that seriously when you always call me a little ass or brat?"

"And what of you? You can't possibly think that your comments go unheard. Our heightened senses make it very hard to ignore you," he responded, gesturing to her mouth. "Every little sportful insult such as me being some sort of tantrum-throwing child?"

"I don't say that all the time," she exclaimed.

"You said it just moments ago," he countered.

She brushed it off with a wave of her hand. They were bickering, as usual (and getting off subject). "I'm not in the mood to fight."

"I never planned to have a heated discussion with you. All I wanted to say was that the weapon is much more important than some low-life that would never hold the courage to handle you fully."

"Handle me? You think that I need to be reigned in?" she asked aloud, hands on hips. Were they even talking about Naruto anymore?

Pein hunched his shoulders casually. "With the proper hands... they could allow you any of your desire with just enough of a hold to keep you from destroying yourself."

She stepped closer with a crooked smile. "And you think that you can keep me on a steady leash?"

"I never said that," he murmured, "but if it comes to certain matters, it's best to let people do as they wish."

Her heart hammered steadily in her chest, the rhythmic beats heard in her ears like a thunderous barrage of drums. Blood swept across her cheeks in a hot, tingling blush. Licking her lips, Sakura crept ever nearer to the man. For someone so coarse, he had a way of making his words smooth. And, shamefully, she found his unique form of flattery to be extremely gratifying.

"I need to go. We can... talk about the weapon when I come back," she mumbled, hand on his arm.

Pausing thoughtfully, Pein shifted his back to the door, granting her passage. With a second glance in his direction, Sakura stomped down the stairs to meet with Naruto. Readjusting the strap on her bag, Sakura smiled, "Sorry, it was stuck underneath the bed." She silently hoped the tinge of red on her face had receded.

"It's okay. Let's go!" Whether Naruto was masking his feelings or sincerely forgot that she rejected him, it made her feel better.

He was possibly the most easygoing guy she'd met.

Slamming the door behind them, the others reappeared and relaxed. Their leader joined them soon after, the sole redhead perplexed by Pein's prolonged absence. "That took a while. I'm sure that you were planning to retrieve the weapon and change her mind?" he guessed.

"An impossible feat, I imagine," Kakuzu added.

Pein lounged on the couch. "I'm not worried," he remarked briefly.

Deidara rolled his shoulders, popping both joints. Sitting back, he found himself smiling. "I'm glad that she didn't let that guy have his way. One less thing to freak out over."

Sasori turned to the blonde, seeking to sate his curiosity. "Deidara, you've certainly changed since our time with Sakura."

"I haven't, hm. You must be imagining things," Deidara stated. Why did they always have to find a way of turning the conversation onto him?

Sasori easily saw through his facade. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. She spoils you with so many human trinkets. It's only natural for you to harbor feelings for her." He didn't understand the appeal, but apparently to Deidara, humans were far more intriguing than his own kind.

"You do make it seem that way," Kisame said, raising his feet onto the coffee table, smashing one of the heads of sunflowers under his boot.

Jumping to his feet, Deidara shook his head viciously. "No! Not at all! As if I would bother..." His fingers combed through his blonde locks. Slowly his features softened to a wistful gaze at the closed door, a pair of her sandals at the entryway and a light jacket hanging on the coatrack. The smell of her freshly washed hair still wafting in the air. He refused to admit to the others for the sake of his own dignity, but he did find Sakura and her human life truly fascinating.

The obsession could leave him sitting with her for hours as they watched movies together, the latter explaining any detail that Deidara didn't understand - usually technology or slang. Then it became a routine, the two pairing together on certain nights, side-by-side on her computer to watch online movies or shows.

Secretly, Deidara looked forward to that time. The others didn't care about the human world other than their roles in death, but Deidara yearned for more knowledge. Wasn't it fair for him to know about the lives he was taking? If he had to separate a soul from its body, why couldn't he learn how to make a pizza or catch up on one of the several popular dramas? Sakura was his window to that, but she was so much more too. Sitting beside her, on her bed, he'd find himself in a state of blissful serenity.

They surprisingly shared many interests too: music, games, movies, etc. Initially, she assumed he was mimicking her, but after his pitiful pleas to watch the next episode of Gladius Kings, Sakura realized that Deidara was just as hopeless as she was. Eight hours later (with few bathroom breaks and a rush to gather snacks and drinks), they watched the remainder of the season in a marathon run.

She also brought him with her to the store, sharing ideas for dinner and a dessert if she had the time. After purchasing a book of recipes, she'd find herself with Deidara suggesting meals.

Frankly, he loved the summer because he spent more time with her. He would never tell them. All an admission like that would bring is just another round of poking fun at him. Turning on his heels, he traveled to the other side of the house.

"You're too easy to read, Deidara," Pein noted.

Deidara denied the obvious. "Am not."

Hanging over the arm of the couch, Sasori spoke to him, "Face it, you fancy her."

He picked at the dirt under his nails, acting as though he heard nothing. If he said anything further, there would be no going back. They were the worst.

Stretching his limbs, Hidan let out a bored yawn. "Who cares if Deidara wants to fuck her or not? When are we going to get this weapon and beat the shit out of Indra?"

"It's unclear, Hidan. Once Sakura takes the weapon from Madara, we'll have to wait until he makes a move against us," Pein explained.

Pouting, Hidan rested his hands behind his head, staring blankly at the speckled ceiling. "Man, I hate waiting."

OoOoOOoOoO

Sitting side-by-side at the ramen stall, Sakura and Naruto ordered their meals. She hurriedly stuffed her mouth full of noodles, slurping them down with a drink of the beef broth.

Watching her, Naruto laughed, "Man, you act like you haven't eaten in a few days!"

Wiping her mouth, Sakura smiled, apologizing, "Sorry." As far as she knew, time could very well move faster in Hell, but she couldn't make that excuse in front of someone like Naruto.

He savored every taste of his bowl, letting a content groan escape his lips. "This hits the spot! Have you ever been here before, Sakura-chan?"

"Nope. I cook my own meals most of the time. If I get the chance, I might buy a pizza to shut up Hidan and Deidara-" She stopped mid-sentence, realizing her mistake.

Naruto seemed interested. "Hidan and Deidara, huh? Are they your roommates?"

Accepting that she couldn't weasel out of the conversation, Sakura nodded. "Yeah, they're my roommates..."

"So..." Naruto's eyes dropped to his hands. "What do they do?"

Her smile stiffened. "You mean all of them?"

He nodded, "I can't picture you living with so many guys for no reason, right? At work, you like to rely on yourself, so it has to be something?"

Sipping at the remnants of her noodles, Sakura tried to think of a sensible answer. "They're, um, really intelligent and work as my tutors. My mom doesn't want me to fail out of SOMS, so she hired them. During the day, they have their own work, so I don't really see them often. It's... a chaotic, but organized thing."

He appeared perplexed, but accepted her answer. What would he gain by accusing her of lying anyway? "And do they know about the whole haunted house rumor?"

Sakura stifled a laugh. "Oh, yes, they're aware." _They're the bastards that created the rumors anyway - probably something they're proud of._

Taking the last pool of broth into her mouth, Sakura's cheeks flared up as she caught Naruto staring at her. "What?"

Shaking himself out of the thoughts circulating in his mind, Naruto straightened his posture. "Nothing! I was just wondering about _you_."

"About me?" she repeated.

"You're just so mysterious, Sakura-chan. At work, you're there for your shift, then you leave. There's never time to ask you questions. It's like you're swept up in this big secret society and have to save the world or something. What is it that you do?" He grinned, rubbing at his nose.

"Not much."

"But you're always covered in bruises! Sometimes I get worried because I've never seen a girl so black and blue before! You've gotten muscular too since the first day I met you."

"I just try to keep in shape. I've been taking some self-defense classes to build up my confidence," she lied.

Naruto beamed, "You're pretty confident already, Sakura-chan. That's what I like about you the most."

 _Ugh, this again_ , she thought, scraping her nails against the wooden countertop.

Her phone rang in her pocket, the noticeable wince after reading the name alerting her friend. "Sakura-chan?"

"Hold on a second." Answering the call, Sakura forced a sickening sweet voice, her jaw tightening. "Hey, Mom."

"Is that all you have to say?! You haven't called in weeks! I checked your grades online and you're behind in your mathematics course. Do I have to drive over there? Have you discussed the option of tutoring with your professor? Honestly, Sakura..." Mebuki continued her rant, her daughter losing interest quickly in her mother's constant criticism.

She checked the time for a moment then spoke between one of her mother's pauses. "I know this is serious, but can we talk about this later? I'm not home right now."

"Sakura-chan, do you want me to order another bowl for you?" Naruto asked innocently, the cook waiting for an answer.

Overhearing a strange, male voice, Mebuki's voice screeched through her phone's speaker. " _Sakura-chan?_ Who is that talking?! Sakura, please, tell me you're not out on a date."

"No, it isn't a-"

"You're not paying enough attention to your grades! What about your dream of becoming a doctor, Sakura? Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Sakura pulled her phone away from her ear, groaning quietly. Hearing her mother call out for her once again, she tried to reason with her, "Mom, I passed all of my exams with perfect scores. Why can't I act like the rest of the girls my age?" She could have stated it wasn't a date then, but Sakura was desperate for a chance to make her mother understand her better. She wanted her mother's love, but having it only being bestowed upon her because she was Mebuki's little puppet wasn't sitting well with her anymore.

Mebuki stood firmly. "It's taking time away that should be reserved for studying your lessons. Once you've resumed your courses, things like this will only get in your way. You might as well drop out and do some silly showgirl career. That way, you won't need to waste your time seeking attention from men." The sound of a bathtub's faucet running ran over the other line. "I have to go. Hopefully you'll re-think your options and do what's right."

"Bye." Her farewell went unheard, her mother hanging up before she could respond.

Naruto shifted in his seat awkwardly, eyes never leaving her. He waited patiently until she fished for her wallet in her purse. "Wait, are you leaving?"

"Sorry, Naruto. I'm just not feeling well." Of course, her mother had to ruin the mood. She always had that way about her.

He searched his pockets, slapping a random amount of money onto the counter. "Hold on! I'll walk you home."

Returning to her house together, Sakura's inner turmoil seized her senses. Why did she bother answering the call every time? Why didn't she have the willpower to stand up for herself against her mother? She could run into the face of a monumental-sized demon that drank angel's blood, but not some 5' 6'' woman. It was definitely some kind of psychological line that she needed to pass before she could act so rudely to her own mother. That conversation was the last time she'll let either one of her parents tell her what to do. Next time, it would be entirely different.

Naruto attempted to make conversation with her, but the chat inevitably trickled away as Sakura was too busy in her own head to notice. All that she was and did had always been for her parents. Their approval, their love. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? If they only knew what she was actually doing. She snickered under her breath as she imagined the look on their faces. Seeing her with some monster's head in her hands or a puddle of blood at her feet - they wouldn't question her choices again.

 _Okay, that was a bit too much_ , she thought.

To Sakura, it didn't even have to be that; any sort of act of rebellion was fine. She just wanted that sense of 'I-can-do-anything-I-want' mentality that so many kids her age had. Drinking beer, staying out really late, maybe smoking a cigarette or two. Currently, she had her mother's hand on her shoulder, but no more. By tonight, she'd have done something against her mother's made-up rules!

Naruto poked her shoulder. "Sakura-chan, we passed your house," he said, his voice rather quiet.

Sakura pulled herself together. There she was, letting things get to her over and over again. She really needed to stop that.

"Are you okay? You can tell me, y'know," he added.

She threw on the best, false smile she could muster. "No, I'm okay. Sometimes, I get so wrapped up in things."

Returning to her doorstep, Naruto pushed himself into her pocket of space. "Sakura-chan, why do you push everyone away?"

"Huh? Where did this come from? Naruto, I'm fine."

"I wish you wouldn't lie to me like this. It's okay to open yourself up to people." He rubbed the nape of his neck, his frown deepening. "I just thought that if we're close enough, you'd let me know what's bothering you."

Leaning against the door, Sakura sighed in defeat. He had to lay the guilt on her hard, didn't he? "My mom's always trying to control me. Everything I do has to be on her terms. In fact, I wouldn't be living here if I didn't just leave my parents' house without a word."

"Sounds extreme." He couldn't relate much. His mother and father always encouraged his choices and praised him for his efforts.

She nodded, "Sometimes, it's too much. I just want to do whatever I want for no apparent reason. When she talks like I'm some sort of robot, it makes those feelings ten times worse!"

"I'm sorry," he stated solemnly. "I wish it was easier for you."

"I do too," she responded.

"Sakura-chan..." He smiled brightly as she turned to face him. "It's not a bad thing to do what you want."

"I know, but it just doesn't feel entirely natural for me." Aside from killing demons, Sakura didn't have fun. She may as well be an old woman who just sat on a couch all day doing nothing. "I just don't want people to think I'm selfish."

"Don't you have to be a little selfish sometimes, though? I think that, as long as people aren't getting hurt, you should do what you want and be happy. It may not be the most ideal choice, but it's simple, right?" he expressed, thoughtful.

His words lingered in her mind for a moment longer. "You're smarter than you look, Naruto."

"That's kind of mean," he cried comically.

"Sorry." She held her hand on the doorknob. "I'm going to go inside now. Thanks for listening."

He kicked at a little pebble on her walkway. "No problem," he answered, bashful. "Maybe we can go out again and turn our phones off?"

She giggled, "Definitely. See you later, Naruto."

"Bye, Sakura-chan." She lost visual of her friend as the door closed behind her.

Throwing her shoes off in a hasty fashion, Sakura dropped her bag to the floor. Lazying away on the couch, Sasori tore his eyes from the book he was reading.

"You weren't gone long," he acknowledged, pointing at the clock. "Did your pity date go awry?"

"Ah, shut up. Why do you have to be so blunt about it?" she sassed.

"The look on your face was enough of an indication." As Pein entered the room, Sasori went back to his reading. "She's in a particular mood right now, Pein. If you're going to try and persuade her to find the weapon with Konan then you may hit some roadblocks."

"I'll do my best," Beckoning to her, Pein ordered Sakura to follow him upstairs, "Come."

OoOoOOoOoO

Dragging her feet to her bed, she flopped down and groaned loudly. Raising a brow, Pein appeared less than amused with her response.

"I've said nothing, but one word to you."

Turning onto her back, she splayed her limbs across the mattress. "I know what you're going to say. ' _Get the weapon! We need to kill angels and blah, blah, blah_ ' - it's kind of obvious."

"Is that what I sound like? You should have your hearing checked."

She covered her face with a pillow. "Nah, you just suck. I don't want to get the weapon right now. Too many things happened in too little time."

"You're just making up excuses," he stated.

Counting on her fingers, Sakura recalled the recent events that happened in a day's time. "We got eaten by a snake, I agreed to get the weapon, Naruto asked me out, and my mom called to bitch about my life. Don't you think that's alot?"

"I wouldn't call it an average day, but we have been involved in similar situations," he remarked.

Peering through the gaps of her blinds, Sakura watched as a few birds perched on the old, knotted tree in her yard. "Pein, do you think that I do what I'm told too much?"

"Are you really pondering something so stupid? From what I have ordered of you, you've only listened roughly two times. What you should be asking is whether you don't follow through with what you're being told to do."

Laying on her side, she faced the window, pulling the blinds apart with two fingers. "Things just get too stressful when it comes to my mom. She's too anxious and paranoid and pushy about everything. I don't like how I'm feeling about it, but I'm coming to really resent her for pushing and pushing and pushing her way into my life. It's like I'm not even real at times."

"No use moping about it. You should get up and take the weapon from Madara instead," he urged.

She groaned, her tone miserable. "No, not this again. Can't you see that I'm wallowing?"

"Then enlighten me, little ass. What are you in the mood for?"

Looking over her shoulder, Sakura gazed at him, hesitating. "I... want to act out a bit. Like everybody else gets to."

"Can you elaborate, please? I have no idea what you're talking about."

Rising from the bed, Sakura kicked her legs out. "I want to get some drinks and have fun. I want to go to some abandoned factory or something and break all the glass with a baseball bat like they do in the movies. Just something that I can do that won't get me in too much trouble."

"You're so dangerous. I'll make sure not to mess with you," he said dryly. "Why bother? You've killed demons with your bare hands - what would a night of (barely) underage drinking and vandalizing dilapidated buildings do for you?"

"I know, okay? It sounds really dumb, but I've never done anything bad. Hell, I've never been to a single sleepover in my life because I always had my nose stuck in a book! I just want to live out that rebellious teenage phase before I turn twenty." Receiving no response, Sakura pushed the subject. "If you come with me, the first thing I'll do tomorrow after breakfast is get the weapon."

He crossed his arms, doubtful that she would stay true to her word.

"I really promise this time," she vowed, crossing two fingers over her heart.

Sighing heavily, Pein complied with her request. "Very well."

OoOoOOoOoO

Dancing in place with Pein's partizan, Sakura repeatedly searched for any people in the area. The old factory was deserted, graffiti sprayed on the walls while trash littered the grounds. She bit at her lip anxiously, her stomach churning.

Growing impatient, Pein growled at her, "Speed it up. The night's not going to last forever."

"Hang on! Let me just prep myself for this."

She gripped the polearm firmly in her hands. Treading carefully to the side of the building, Sakura raised the weapon above her head. With a downward strike, glass shattered, flying in every direction. There it was, her first, needless act of rebellion. The shards glimmered against the light of the thin, crescent moon - Sakura waited another moment for someone to pass by and find her.

Not a single movement aside from the breeze passing through the trees.

Lifting the partizan a second time, Sakura drove the sharpened edge against another window, the sound ricocheting off the other decaying buildings surrounding them then back to her ears. A jagged portion of glass cut her forearm, blood seeping through the small mark.

"Keep at it," Pein encouraged. "Break them 'til your heart's content."

She nodded, running to each side as she broke every window on the first floor. She hammered down relentlessly, feeling the remnants and smaller pieces of glass settle in her hair and clothes. Her breathing became labored, the amount of force she produced fully exerted to this bizarre task. Her fear had long vanished, replaced with the excitement of defying all control over her.

Pein didn't understand it. He couldn't. But watching her destroy something so extraneous and nonessential to their current affairs compelled him to stay. These fairly small acts of violence were ridiculous - she had to know that herself - but he wouldn't refuse a front row seat. Although completely unnecessary, it _was_ entertaining.

Panting, and slightly sweaty, Sakura walked to his side. Returning his weapon, she dusted the remaining glass off of her clothes.

"Are you satisfied now?"

She shook her head. "No, it's time to buy some drinks."

"Human alcohol tastes like garbage," he responded.

"Don't ruin this for me. Now, I've got the money, so let's go to some of those vending machines down in the red-light district."

"Buying from some machine? That sounds even worse," he argued.

Taking his arm, Sakura dragged him out of the factory's yard. "Stop whining. You don't have to drink them."

OoOoOOoOoO

She grabbed a can from the machine, stuffed it into her bag, slid another coin inside and punched in the numbers. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat. She felt almost giddy. Butterflies swarmed inside her stomach, her hands shaking slightly with excitement. Breaking the rules. It was kind of fun.

"As much as I love the idea of defying authority. Don't you find this entire performance of yours a tiny bit cliche?" he grumbled.

"Yeah? What's your point?"

"It's juvenile," he continued, "Why act like the rest of your peers when, instead, you could stand over them? The weapon would give you that power."

Throwing the bag over her shoulder, Sakura waved him over. "And I plan on doing that after I'm done goofing off. You were following every order Indra gave you, right?"

"Unfortunately, but what does this have to do with me?"

"You refused missions, so that in itself is an act of rebellion too. We're kind of in the same boat, so why can't I pretend to be like some of the kids my age for a day? Besides, breaking some windows and drinking a few cans of beer isn't as terrible as throwing a severed arm or leg at my parents' door."

"I don't know. That second option seems to appeal to my taste more."

She burst into a fit of laughter. "The look on their faces! My mom would probably pee her pants."

"You've acquired quite the morbid sense of humor, haven't you?" he acknowledged.

"Can you blame me? I'm surrounded by demons." Patting his shoulder, she jumped into his arms. "Take me home now, so we can crack some of these open."

Managing to retrieve a scroll from his cloak whilst holding her, Pein loosened its seals, the delicate parchment unraveling and teleporting the two back into her room. Feeling lightheaded, Sakura stumbled back, falling onto her pile of dirty clothes.

"I can't get used to that," she whined, shaking the dizziness from her head.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Pein observed her as she hurried to get a taste. Never in her life had she smelled, tasted, or even touched alcohol until then; even at the cafe, she didn't handle it. Snapping the tab of the can open with her nail, Sakura stared blankly at the decorative logo plastered onto the aluminum. The first drink. She was being overdramatic, but it was that final 'Hurrah!' - a middle finger shoved in her mother's face. Throwing her head back, Sakura wished all of her responsibilities good-bye with a large gulp.

Immediately, she gagged, coughing while trying and failing to keep the beer from coming back up. It was terrible. Apparently, her responsibilities weren't going down easily. Did people really enjoy this shit?!

Pein snorted, hiding the visible traces of his amusement behind his closed fist. Hearing him, Sakura snapped her head in his direction, brows knitted together. She tossed a can to him and sneered, "You try it then!"

"I've had this slop before. It's absolutely horrendous," he said.

Drinking at her can, Sakura winced, her face contorting in disgust. "I don't care. I want you to drink it with me."

"And what good will that do?" Gifting him with a harsh, glaring look, Pein popped the tab. "You're dreadful."

She waited, anticipating a similar reaction as hers, but felt disappointed as he gave her nothing - not even a grimace.

"And this is dreadful too," he complained, taking another drink. "Humans can't do anything right."

Time passed, the two basking in the other's suffering as they forced down the alcohol. Pein suggested they throw the rest out, but Sakura had refused. She wasn't just going to throw out the precious money she wasted!

He let one of the cans roll from his palm, the tink! of the empty can falling onto her wood floor startling her. "Why don't you just drink with the others? They'd make better company than me."

Her face was hot, her ears tingly. There was a bubbly sensation stirring in her stomach, an airiness in her movements. "Why does everything have to be an interrogation with you? Can't I just enjoy having you around?"

"We fight constantly. How is that enjoyable?"

Her eyes dropped to the healing wound along his jaw. She had to admit she was impressed with their regenerative abilities, but the guilt ate at her just as it did so many hours ago. "You know, I still feel like shit for doing that to your face. Sorry."

"Please. I'm just relieved that I didn't break your jaw."

 _True, but I still have to see a dentist_ , she thought, moping about her poor, chipped tooth.

Pushing himself off the bed, he stole the last can she had in her grasp. Despite her protests, Pein swallowed the remaining drink left. "I'm sure you're drank enough," he deduced, crumpling the can in his enclosed fist.

"Are you? You're still acting like Pein," she questioned, laying on the floor with her arms sprawled out as though she were in the process of making a snow angel.

"Were you hoping for something different? To answer your question, I'm buzzed, but barely." Reaching down for her hand, Pein grunted impatiently as she refused help. "Come on. You can't lay there forever."

She turned her head away from him, lips pouting. "Yes, I can."

"So stubborn. Sakura, if you're true to your word, tomorrow will be a very tasking day. It would be in your best interest if you went to bed now," he pressed.

Facing him again, Sakura's eyes met his. "Make me."

He accepted her little challenge. As if she could fend him off in her state. Settling onto the floor to carry her bridal-style, Pein faltered as her fingers curled around his tunic, not-so-subtly pulling him down towards her.

Now eye-level, Pein watched as she licked her lips, the apprehension spreading over her face. With a moment of hesitation, she whispered, the smell of the beer lingering on her breath, "I may die tomorrow. Would you miss me?"

"Your ill-placed questions are beyond obnoxious," he muttered back.

She waited, eyes twitching, struggling to maintain focus. The hand gripping his shirt, tugged him closer, hinting that she was, indeed, serious. Pein sighed, knowing he couldn't escape this conversation even if he tried to leave.

"If it were to occur, the news would be upsetting," he stated briefly, averting eye contact.

He heard the sharp inhale of her breath as she released him. Remaining still, Pein watched as she turned on her side to face him.

"Were you... serious about what you said earlier?" she asked, her body stiff.

Pein rested comfortably on the floor with her, his head propped up with his hand. "About what?"

"The scratch-itch thing. You wouldn't say that as a joke, right? It isn't like you to make things up just to get me all flustered..." she trailed off, too embarrassed at herself to explain further.

"You know I'm not one for jokes." His eyes dropped to her hand as she brushed her fingers against his forearm.

It wasn't special. No romance, nothing. Why would she consider a well, thought out speech for him when he made it perfectly clear? Sakura was logical - even when she was drunk. There were no loving words or confessions, just a blatant statement - a request:

"I want it," she decided.

He looked down at her through thin lashes, his expression as unreadable as it had always been. "If that's what you wish."

OoOoOOoOoO

She sat on the bed, hands lingering on the hem of her shirt. She never exposed herself to someone before. Was she experiencing cold feet? Was she sobering up? She was hoping the beers would ease her anxiety.

Hands rested over hers, inching her shirt above her navel. The familiar scent of ash and sweat perforated the air surrounding her. She breathed out as the same large hands removed her shirt entirely.

"Nothing underneath?" he questioned.

Sakura's hands remained over her breasts, although the starless sky offered zero visual. "I... wanted to make the introduction quick," she mumbled.

Through silent reassurance, Pein pulled her hands away. He held onto her slender frame, resting her onto the bed. Sakura desperately wanted to bring her hands to her chest. Instead, she ran her fingers through her hair, forcing her mind to occupy on something other than Pein's fingers tugging down at her spandex pajama shorts.

One boy. There was one boy that had touched her breast. It was an accident, of course, but she could remember the day fairly well. A sunny, June afternoon. They were running the relay race and he-

Sakura's back arched as he buried his face between her legs, his tongue sliding along her folds. Fingers dug into his scalp, but he didn't react to her, simply prying her legs apart for easier access.

She bit her thumb, closing her eyes as the pleasure radiated throughout her body, legs twitching. Her other hand stayed firmly on his head, latched onto his hair. She read through so many dirty magazines - not entirely on purpose (some covers were very misleading) - so she was well aware of many sexual acts. Sakura wasn't a professional, but knowledge did give her an advantage compared to some of her more 'conservative' peers. Did that matter, though? She always felt like the one left behind to play catch up.

Swirling his tongue around her clit, he reached over her abdomen, cupping her breast in his right hand as his left caressed her thigh. He had never been with a woman with zero experience.

How satisfying was it to have her for himself.

The hold upon his hair tightened, Sakura's silent order to stay in place. Of course, her bossy personality had to shine through. And how unexpected for Pein to enjoy taking orders for once.

To her surprise, Pein's piercings provided a wider range of contact as they rubbed against her skin. With his tongue encircling her clit, she relaxed her lower-half, legs extending over his shoulders.

Squeezing her breast, he licked her fervently, causing the girl to elongate her legs further, muscles tightening.

She pressed her thighs around his head, biting her bottom lip as he sucked on her clit. She blinked as his right hand trailed down her abdomen, reaching her sex. Two fingers slid inside of her entrance, jolting her from her pleasure and garnering a negative reaction.

"You didn't ask to do that!" she yelled.

"Do I have to at this point?" he challenged.

Sakura frowned, dropping her head onto the pillow in a fit of short-lived anger. "Shut up."

Returning to his work, Pein felt her tense as his fingers entered her once more. It was the only choice he had at making the experience as painless as possible. She obviously expected it to hurt, but he didn't feel the need to hear her complaining. He found her shallow breaths and racing pulse far more pleasurable.

He massaged her ridged, inner walls while his tongue slid along her slick folds. In this state, he had to control himself from using all of his force upon her.

The taste. The head. She was absolutely intoxicating in this position.

Sakura could feel a familiar sensation climbing steadily upwards, the slow peak of a roller coaster reaching the highest arch.

"Pein, I'm close. Go faster."

He obeyed her willingly. The faster she came, the faster he could quench his own thirst. Pumping his fingers rapidly inside of her as his tongue increased its pace caused her body to tremble, a modest, quiet moan slipping from her lips. He grunted slightly as she slapped her thighs tightly against his head yet again, her legs quaking violently as she reached her orgasm.

Immense pleasure rippled from her sex, extending from her abdomen and trailing down her legs. She felt herself gripping around his fingers, cumming hard. It spiraled upwards as she arched her back, mouth open agape as she unleashed a shameless moan from her throat. He continued as she rode through her ecstatic state, her hips lifting from the mattress. The quivering slowly subsided and Pein raised his head.

"I'm ready," she spoke, out of breath.

Pein didn't hesitate. Exposing his erection, he pressed against her entrance - only to have two hands firmly push him back.

"What?" he asked impatiently.

"Take off your shirt too!"

"Why does that matter?" He was just inches away from pushing inside of her.

She smiled anxiously. "Just do it for me, please? It won't hurt."

Staring down at her, Pein threw off his tunic, revealing the piercings lining his body. His shoulders, the inferior portions of his collarbone, his biceps and forearms, circling his abdomen were stabbed with metal rods and studs.

Her fingers traced the piercings on his arms. "Why do you have these?"

"That sort of question shouldn't be asked here," he answered.

She nodded, widening her legs as she laid just at the edge of the bed. The head of his cock grazed her sensitive skin. "Go slow unless I say so," she instructed.

He clamped his hand to her mouth. "I don't want to hear your constant orders. Let me begin by pleasing you properly."

Pushing in, he exhaled, her tight entrance accommodating his size with each terribly-slow inch he laid against her.

Sakura tightened her jaw, dropping her head. "You're just saying that because you want to take my virginity." The pain shifted to pleasure as she stretched with his girth.

"Yes. You're right for once," he said huskily.

She gazed at him, the man already staring down at her. "It feels good."

"That's how it's supposed to feel," he muttered.

Closing her emerald eyes, Sakura pulled on his arms, bringing his chest against hers. Was his heart beating as fast as hers? As hard as hers?

Cradling his face in her hands, she kissed him.

Pein couldn't process it in time. Sakura pulled back, reading the expression on his face. "What?"

"Nothing." He sank himself into her, bringing their hips together for the first time. "Let's start."

She was thankful. Having his fingers stretching her - even just the slightest - helped tremendously. The pain still lingered, but she had already focused too much on the rocking of his pelvis to care.

He was slow, gentle... the exact opposite of his appearance. He glided in and out with extreme care, bending to what she wanted.

Moans of ecstasy burst from behind her lips. His hands splayed over her chest, thumbs circling her nipples. "Pein..." she whispered.

"Hm?" He closed his eyes, muttering incoherently as he lifted her leg slightly for deeper penetration.

"Go... faster," she said, the words struggling between her moans.

Grinding, he quickened his thrusts, pushing his cock deeper. Her breasts bounced with each junction of their hips. To feel her sex enveloping his shaft with each plunge drove him over the edge. He lusted for her. The pleasure seeping into his bones. How he missed this feeling.

Both hands moved from her breasts, clasping onto her shoulders. He nestled forward, forcing his lips against hers.

This reminded her of the raunchy romance novels she read to satisfy her own guilty pleasure. She felt extremely embarrassed to read them, but how she relished in the cliches and unoriginal prose. She savored the feeling of her first time: The cold metal against her skin, his warmth radiating from his body. She carded her fingers through his hair, taking in the moment as her eyes rested on his muscled form.

Her lips were remarkably soft pressed against his. Caught in her gaze, he held her forward with one hand on her back while the other tangled itself in her ruffled, messy hair. They remained close, their motions rocking the bed against the wall. His eyes never left her, even as she threw her head back. Seeing her this way... he didn't mind all of the arguing and berating.

Sakura bit her tongue as he drove into her with great force, his speed increasing. She called out his name, electricity surging through her body, the pulses enveloping her sensitive skin.

He kept her stationed in his grasp, the sounds of her pleasure heightening his. Women and their cries of ecstasy - something that rang so sweetly in his ears. He wanted to contain this scene for centuries and beyond, but it had been hundreds of years. Possibly longer than half of a millennium. Too long had it been since he felt a woman's body in his arms.

His lips collided with hers for the third time, the two sharing a connection searing with passion. Muffled whimpers called from her lips, her entrance squeezing around him.

A growl emerged from his throat, the man reaching his climax. Pein buried his face into her chest, pulling her towards him as close as he possibly could. He came, the warmth pooling inside of her. His pelvis rocked against her sporadically, basking in the aftershock of his gradual descent, shuddering slightly.

Sakura's eyelids grew heavy, satisfied in such a way that she never imagined before. Witnessing a man's orgasm for the first time was very erotic.

To her surprise, Pein rested his head onto her chest with a sigh. "Pein?"

"Stay this way for a while longer," he ordered, the words endearing, but his tone harsh.

Sakura placed her arms over his bare back, the piercings embedded into his skin pressed into her folded limbs. Closing her eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief. Losing her virginity... wasn't as bad as she had expected. She wouldn't care to admit it, but to have Pein be so gentle with her, caused all of her uneasiness to melt away. Complete trust.

But to feel someone holding her was strange; far stranger than the unorthodox way she lost her virginity.

Was he doing this for her? Or for himself? Slowly, she brought her hand to his head, fingers brushing through his hair. The absence of a reaction comforted her. For him to allow this meant something, didn't it?

Yawning, Sakura turned slightly into a more comfortable position. There would be a mess when she woke up, although nothing too extreme. She decided to make a memo to care about it in the morning.

OoOoOOoOoO

Hearing her light snores, Pein pulled away from her grasp, arranging her body fully onto the bed. Finding her blanket, he tucked her under the covers with careful hands. Fitting his tunic over his head, he stole a final glance at her before shutting the door.

Inside the living room, Pein was greeted with the silence of his comrades. Clearing his throat, he adjusted his collar. "Sakura and I discussed-"

"You certainly discussed something," Sasori interjected.

"We agreed to our terms. We'll be taking the weapon for ourselves soon enough," he answered calmly.

Deidara raised a brow, unwilling to believe that was the only thing they spoke of. Hearing her through the thin walls was enough of a sign, but stopping at the door to ask if she could bake the apple pie she promised days before proved that they weren't doing much talking. Usually the blonde wouldn't care, but he somehow felt envious of his leader standing before them.

"You shouldn't have done that," he spat.

The others turned to him. Sasori rested his hand on his chin. "It's for the best. If she still wishes to come with us then having the weapon will-"

"Not that," Deidara snapped. Looking over his shoulder, he glared angrily at Pein. "You had no right doing that!"

Pein narrowed his eyes, brows creased as he became puzzled with his behavior. "She requested it of me."

The blonde's heart jumped into his throat, his anger and jealousy bleeding through his words. "Humans are off-limits! You said it yourself ages ago!"

"Hey, kid. Have you looked around lately?" Kisame broke in. "Things aren't really what they used to be."

Deidara attempted to argue, but then shut his mouth, grinding his teeth. He had three-hundred years under his belt, but they continued to treat him like a child.

Pein observed him for a moment before speaking out. "It wasn't anything serious, Deidara. Perhaps you should reevaluate what is more important: a mortal woman or regaining the power that was stolen from us. Worrying over her will only get you killed."

Without a word in response, Deidara left the house. He banged his fist against his forehead as he sat on the porch. Stupid, stupid! Pein was right, but that wouldn't change his mind. He was still angry and jealous and shocked and useless in this position.

_'You're too easy to read, Deidara.'_

That wasn't a bad thing, was it?

_'Face it, you fancy her.'_

He didn't have to, he already knew that he liked her that way. He just didn't want the others to make a joke out of it.

OoOoOOoOoO

"Besides making the beast with two backs, what did you and Sakura do? Has she made a date to get the weapon?" Kisame asked, tweaking the pommel of Samehada.

Pein nodded, "Tomorrow. I'm heading down to discuss our plans with Konan now." Opening the portal, he dropped in, leaving the others alone.

Hidan repressed his giggling, finding the news hilarious. "Holy shit. I can't believe they fucking did it."

"Hopefully, it shuts them up for awhile. I just can't stand listening to them fight all the time," Kakuzu agreed.

Sasori closed the book, joining in on their gossip. "She's been swarming with those thoughts since we've met her. I'm honestly surprised it took this long for it to happen."

"Hey, what does she think about me?" Kisame asked with a laugh.

"Absolutely crude things. Trust me, you don't even want to know all of the obscenities I've read pass through her mind," Sasori answered.

Hidan leaned forward, eager to hear some of Sasori's information. "Fuck yeah we do! Tell us!"


	12. Madara

The cold, empty room isolated both brothers as they kneeled on the floor, hands and ankles chained. Sasuke could no longer feel his legs underneath him, the stub just above his wrist wrapped hastily in bandages throbbed with heated pain. His only hand planted on the blood-painted floor, probing the limited area around him for his brother. The airtight, windowless chamber made it absolutely impossible to see.

"Itachi," he murmured, unsure if one of Indra's guards stood nearby.

He heard a grunt, then chains rattling. Sasuke sighed, "How long are we to stay here?"

"I have no idea," Itachi stated, his head pounding. "Just don't talk back to anyone and accept all of your punishments."

Sasuke failed at sitting comfortably. "This is stupid. I want to leave. Let's escape when we're free. Lord Orochimaru will take care of us while-"

"Don't even finish that thought. How blind are you, Sasuke? Do you really think that becoming a fallen angel is your only way out?" Itachi interrupted, his voice strained. "You really must think about this critically. You can't just run away from your problems all the time and expect them to disappear."

The chains binding his limbs refused Sasuke the chance to jerk back and turn away from his brother's voice. "As if you know anything! You're always praising Indra's antics and making yourself look like a fool! What do you know about fallen angels anyway? They're blessed with freedom while we're here sitting in a prison."

"I wonder whose fault that is?" Itachi snipped.

"I meant Heaven! And you're here because you lied to Indra's face!" Sasuke snapped. In his brother's silence, Sasuke's shoulders sagged. "What's the point of being in Paradise if there are still rules?! Why can't we do whatever we want?"

Itachi lowered his head, closing his eyes. "It's our duty. The humans who enter Heaven are the ones that are gifted with true bliss."

"It's sort of ironic. We're born perfect while those flawed creatures can sin all they want, repent all past aggressions, and then make their merry journey here to enjoy in their festivities for all of eternity. Why must we be burdened with such selfish whims of an old, dying master-" Light poured into the room, both brothers ducked their heads and winced.

"The selfish whims of an old, dying master? Goodness, Sasuke. You must think before you speak," Indra stated, his voice remarkably hateful. "What if the Master heard you say such hurtful things?"

"Sorry," Sasuke muttered, resisting the urge to curse.

"I care little for your apologies," Indra answered, walking inside with a guard behind him. "In fact, I'm not even here to speak with you, so stay quiet and mind yourself."

Sasuke flexed his arms. One punch. That's all he wanted. One, hard crack across his face.

Itachi stiffened as Indra approached him. With his head down, Itachi remained frozen underneath his leader's icy gaze.

"Itachi, how long would you say Pein had that portal?" Indra questioned.

Itachi bit his lip, tasting a small inkling of blood. He hated himself for fearing such a man. Sasuke was right, but he had no choice. He was created to serve under the most righteous.

"Pein did not make it clear, but I can assure you that it was created before the house they resided in was constructed. I was attacked by a demon that burst through the gate. Remembering back, they didn't appear to be surprised by the monster."

"Why did you not come to me sooner with this information? Are you playing children games while toying with the truth? Have you hidden anything else from me?" Indra interrogated him, voice rising in volume.

"I promise that it was nothing against you, Lord Indra. They had threatened to open yet another portal to take Sasuke away from me."

Indra's foot scraped across his captive's face, disgusted by his pathetic explanation. "You fool! Pein does not wield the power to create full-force gates like in the past. He tricked you so easily. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Sasuke bent forward, sickened by the news. If he had known... If Itachi would have just told him! Maybe the others were right and he was too far gone. All of this time, he caused Itachi so much grief like some out-of-control teenager in search for his own selfish gain. What use was he now? Perhaps his only purpose was to destroy all of the things he once held dear.

Sasuke despised himself.

Noticing the crumpled state of the young man, Indra motioned to Itachi's younger brother. "Is this 'thing' really worth anything to you? He was wading in Hell's pools and you still seek some sort of meaning to his logic. He's not one of us, just a traitor, a fallen." Removing his weapon, Indra pointed the blade at Sasuke, smiling fiendishly. "What if I killed him? Dropped his body into the pits of Hell to be devoured by demons? It's in my power to dispose of trash and this abomination fits the description well."

"I could do nothing... only plead for you to take my life in exchange for his," Itachi answered, his eyes slowly meeting his leader's.

Sasuke stared at his brother, astonished. Itachi...

Indra's smile faded, a burning spark of indignation in his eyes. "You'd let this creature roam free? And you would willingly accept your fate without fight?"

Itachi nodded.

Pursing his lips, Indra begrudgingly sheathed his scimitar. "You're much weaker than I anticipated." Turning, he headed for the door. "Oh, I almost forgot..."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Pein's new portal... You said they lived in a home before in your original report - a human girl's domicile."

Itachi wasn't sure what route Indra was taking with this exchange. "I remember. She couldn't see them, but you said-"

Throwing his hand in the air, Indra silenced his young follower and faced his mute guard. "More lashings. I want this lesson to sink in."

Obito stepped up, unwrapping the whip in his hands. "Certainly, Lord Indra." As the doors closed, the two chained angels last visible form was the cruel smile fixed on their leader's lips.

OoOoOOoOoO

"You want to know about that now? You didn't seem too concerned with yourself last night," Pein sighed, eyeing her bare legs as she dressed.

Sakura pressed for an answer. "Come on, Pein. It's life or death."

He tore his eyes away, meeting with hers. "No, it's impossible for any human to carry a child from a demon." he answered, giving Sakura a chance to unleash her held breath.

With one of her important questions answered, Sakura moved on to the next. "Then what about other demons? If you wanted to, could Karin become pregnant?"

He made a sound unlike anything she had ever heard from him. A laugh? "Relations with that woman? How insulting. No, demons are incapable of having children."

She nodded, contemplating his words. Still, that noise was hilarious. She had to make him laugh more often.

Deidara barged in, watching a bit too long as Sakura fastened her pants. Finding her half-naked sent a speckle of red across the apples of his cheeks. "Sakura-" He stopped as his sight connected with Pein's momentarily. Was he interrupting another 'requested session'?

"What is it?" Sakura pulled her ragged, old t-shirt over her head. No matter how many times she washed the poor thing, the old blood stains never disappeared.

Brushing away his irritation, he rummaged through the belongings in his belt pack. "Here, I've got something for you. Their detonation range is exactly 1.2 meters around, so make sure to throw from a distance." Several spider-shaped bombs fell into her hand. "Try not to set them off together, hm."

"And you're giving them to me? Do you really think I'm going to get in trouble?" she asked, settling the rounded clay bombs in her own pouch.

"Don't assume this will be easy. He is a demon, so I'm sure he has a few tricks," Pein answered, walking to the door. "I'll wait for you near the portal."

Alone, Deidara relaxed. Blue eyes darted from her face to his hands. "Sakura."

"Yeah?" She drank the remaining water from an old bottle, stuffing another into her bag.

He took her hand, features wracked with concern. The room seemed smaller as he crept closer to her. "I wish that I could come with you to help. It's terrible that all we can do is just sit and wait it out, hm." This entire day was going to be the team agonizing over whether she was alive or not and he wasn't as confident as Pein was. Humans were capable of killing others without a shred of remorse - tearing them apart, cutting through their skin like paper - so how would she hold up against an ancient demon?

Her hand tightened around his, a comforting smile crossing her lips. "Deidara, I'll be back-" Her words of reassurance were cut short as Deidara pulled her into a rib-crushing hug. His arms wrapped around her body, squeezing the air out of her lungs.

He would never let go. She was the first human - the first anything - he harbored feelings for. She could tell him hundreds of times that she'd come back, but he refused to believe a single thing until Sakura carried the weapon in her hands with her feet on their plane. His face buried into her shoulder, inhaling the fresh scent of her clothing - the artificial fragrance of springtime embedded in the thin material. In all his ways, he tried to memorize the feel of her body in his arms, how he carried her on different occasions in the past. In his hidden truths, all he wanted to do was carry her away, so she wouldn't have to be involved in this mess ever again.

"Deidara, you're squeezing too hard," she whispered.

His fingers combed through the ends of her hair. This was it. He was done for. Deidara knew he would appear weak in the eyes of his peers, but knowing that she could die and return as some lost soul in Hell (or some high-marked saint in Heaven, but the chances of that were slim to none) left him with no other choice.

Ready to yell and squirm out of the blonde's grip, Sakura was caught off-guard as his lips connected with hers. He fumbled clumsily as the two stumbled back, Sakura's body pinned between the wall and Deidara's frame. Her face was marked with crimson, her heart rate accelerating. He was actually kissing her!

Pulling away, both sat in a daze for a few seconds, staring at one another. Deidara jumped as Sakura shrieked, grabbing pillows off of her bed and chucking them at his head.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" he yelled, batting them away.

Her eyes widened, the girl flustered. "Y-you kissed me! On the lips!" There wasn't a sign ahead that lit up in neon bulbs that read, 'Kiss ahead. Prepare for sudden onset tachycardia and a shocking, silent confession of someone's attraction to you!'

He didn't know how to respond to that. "Yeah?" A pair of pants were thrown over his face. "Did I do something wrong, hm?!"

"Well, no, but... It's not like I was expecting-" She pressed the tips of her fingers to her lips, the sensitive skin still buzzing. She shared a kiss with another man in less than a twenty-four hour period. How would the others see her if they found out?

Falling onto her bed, Deidara laid back with eyebrows knitted and mouth down-turned into a puzzled frown. Pein jumped her bones and she sang like a bird. He kissed her and now she was sputtering like a dying seal.

"I can't believe you," Sakura wailed, the heat in her face slowly diminishing, but the thumping in her chest just as rapid as before. "I didn't know you wanted that!"

"Why wouldn't I? You're pretty and kill things," he explained plainly.

"Killing isn't supposed to be attractive," she replied dryly. "Listen, Deidara, I can't really talk about this now, but when I come back I'll-"

"And what if you don't," he broke in, features glum. "I may never see you again."

"You will see me again, Deidara."

He shared his lack of conviction by crossing his arms and tearing his eyes away from her. Pein could tell her all of the things she wanted to hear, but he needed to give her that splash of reality. If their leader wasn't going to be the responsible one, he had to.

The side of the bed opposite of his gaze sank as she climbed up beside him. Her arms delicately wrapped themselves over his neck and shoulders, hanging loosely. Sitting silently, he felt her head rest against the center of his back.

"Have faith in me. When I come back, we can talk together alone." Hearing no response, she decided on a new approach. "You know, I heard Gladius Kings' new season is premiering next week. Do you want to watch it together?" She smiled as she felt the muscles in his back tense.

"Does that mean Kyotaro will have another chance at fighting Satoshi?" he asked quietly. Feeling her nod, Deidara turned to face her. "Don't forget the bombs. If you're in a tough spot, use them. I don't care if there are none left when you come back, just don't get hurt, Sakura."

She patted the pouch on her waist. "Got it. Let's go."

Both walking down the stairs, Sakura felt the air thicken with a subdued fog of emotions. The others shared a similar expression of hopeful optimism as she locked gazes with them, but it was so easily transparent to her that they were all uncertain of today's outcome. This was the day that she would be risking her life for. Fear and excitement coarsed through her veins. The feeling reminding her of the day she had her first interview with SOMS founder, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Like many of her classmates, Sakura was afraid she may never be accepted. But to revel in her accomplishments and take the first step forward to her future gave her enough determination and passion that ellicited a second interview then the admission registration and the final meeting before becoming a full-fledged student.

Hopefully, her current situation would end on the same, happy note. Less interaction, though.

Pein acknowledged Deidara, but the boy seemed too held up in his mind to notice. Turning to the girl, he raised his partizan. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Then let's meet with Konan." He stuck the spearhead through the wood, light emitting from the gate's entrance.

OoOoOOoOoO

Shisui sat at one of the many tables in the feasting hall. Amrita sloshed in his glass, the sweet nectar untouched as he stewed in his crestfallen state.

"A glass raised to the Master!" an angel cheered, drinking happily.

Shisui copied the others, but didn't put nearly enough heart into it. His mind was on other things... two other things. People, to be exact. He wondered fretfully if Itachi and Sasuke were being treated well under Indra's supervision. The thought of either one being harmed pained him. They were like family and watching as they were carted off from the front courtyard was devastating.

It just didn't make sense. Sasuke was a bit off since his return, but Itachi knew better. Rumors were spreading amongst the angels - Itachi and Sasuke were attempting an escape. He shuddered at the thought. Of course, it wasn't true, but since Indra stressed his intolerance for disloyalty and betrayal, he couldn't sleep knowing they may wind up dead.

An angel nudged him. "Hey, Shisui, drink up! Today's a blessed day!"

He smiled miserably. "Right," he answered, sipping at his cup.

"Don't act so depressed, Shisui. Itachi is one of Indra's precious warriors! He'll walk out with a slap on the wrist and that'll be the end of it." The angel drank from his cup, slapping his lips together. "Sasuke, on the other hand..."

"Ah, keep your mouth full of wine, Atsui," another spouted, pouring a pitcher-full in the former's mouth. "You're talking without thinking again."

Atsui wiped the spilled drink from his lips, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, Shisui. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's alright. I just... hope the two are okay," Shisui replied.

"They'll be fine. As Lord Indra says, 'Faith is carried only in the hand that holds it.' You've just got to stay faithful and things will end up alright!"

Never had words felt so foreign to him.

Maybe I just need some guidance, he thought, standing from his seat. I'll speak with Lord Indra. He'll understand.

OoOoOOoOoO

Konan's eyes glimmered with surprise, brows raised. That scent. Peeking under her lashes, she found Pein's pack approaching her, Sakura accompanying them. Strangely, she couldn't mark her as a human - her scent mixed with the others.

"We've come for the weapon," Pein announced. "Sakura has accepted the mission."

"By her own choice?" Konan asked aloud.

Sakura stepped forward. "Yes," she confirmed.

On her feet, Konan came to Pein's side. "A word?" she requested.

Hesitating, Pein followed her, fists at his sides. Yet another attempt to denegrate their objective and Sakura's compliance? With a lengthy distance from the others, Konan turned on her heels to face her old friend.

"I'm worried about her," she started.

He folded his arms over his chest, ready to take the brunt of her opposition. "We've been over this numerous times. The weapon is an absolute necessity."

"It's not that. I've come to accept your asinine 'goal'," she remarked, voice sour.

"Then what is it?"

Konan frowned, visibly troubled. "Sakura's human scent is completely gone. I can no longer distinguish her from the rest of you."

"Is that such a bad thing?" he countered. "If she is to join us on our missions, it would be an added perk we could take advantage of. Demons would no longer target her."

"But angels could mistake her for one of your kind. If a soldier happens to sense any of you without close regard, they could attack without realizing a human is in your company."

"Impossible. A group of seven unable to spot angels in this bleary landscape? Your worries are pointless. We're all skilled fighters. Besides, Sakura's human scent will return if she keeps herself with other humans, right? She just has to stay away from Hell for a certain period of time."

"Then after retrieving the weapon, you must promise me that she'll take a break from missions until it returns." She tapped her finger to her temple. "Really, it's mind-boggling. Why would her scent disappear so suddenly? Surely these effects couldn't have happened in such a short duration." The process of human camouflage was much more complex than she anticipated. Since she was surrounded by more than one, the disguise could cloak her faster, but Konan wasn't a demon-human relations specialist.

Pein toyed with the idea of telling her of last night's escapades. If he did, she may attack him, immersing his entire body into flesh-charring flames and tear his limbs from his body and burn all of the pieces until he was completely unrecognizable.

If he didn't tell her, he'd miss out on a pretty good face.

He weighed the risks: possible dismemberment and immolation or leaving without seeing her reaction? It was a difficult choice to make.

"It probably happened because I slept with her," he decided.

Konan's mouth twitched, her pupils constricting to thin slits, the woman staring through Pein as though he was just a layer of glass. Gradually, anger trickled into her features like a stream of water running through a cracking wall of rocks. Pein smirked as her feet slowly left the ground.

Worth it.

From the sidelines, the others watched curiously.

"What the fuck are they doing? We don't have time for damn conversations," Hidan griped, slapping his hand to his forehead.

Sakura crept a step closer, trying to make out Konan's face. She startled herself as the fallen angel's paper wings cast open like a fan.

"Shit, she looks angry. You don't think that he told her?" Kisame wondered, grinning with anticipation, the conversation flying over Sakura's head.

Kakuzu sighed, "He did." He raised his head, watching as Konan whipped several bonded paper strips across Pein's left side, detonating them into a cloud of smoke. "What a disaster. Anything to get under her skin."

Deidara and Sakura watched in awe. She was the only one left to witness Pein taking on Konan, but it seemed the latter was doing most of the work. What on earth could they be fighting about? Was she that driven to keep her away from the weapon?

She ran forward against the shouts of her teammates. Konan and Pein didn't need to fight about this in front of her, she could do the talking!

Noticing her through the small spaces of her shield of paper, Konan retreated back while simultaneously releasing Pein from the swarms of thick washi. "Sakura."

"It was my choice, Konan! I told him that I wanted to!" she exclaimed, slightly out of breath.

Pein brushed the burnt, shriveled pieces of leftover paper from his roasted arm, his tunic held together by a few strings. Hearing Sakura defend him was nice, considering that she was probably speaking about the weapon rather than their not-so-private affair.

Sakura continued, her hand to her chest in an earnest manner. "I know it's something that you're strongly against, but I really do feel like it's my duty. Pein and the others are counting on me and I know that now."

"The others?" Konan squinted her eyes in disbelief. Was she really...?!

"Yes! I'm sorry if it upsets you, but I can't back down now that I've made a promise. They're all expecting so much from me and I won't allow myself to disappoint them," Sakura explained. Pein smiled smugly over the girl's shoulder at Konan.

Konan couldn't absorb all of this information in one day. Was this young woman really sharing intimate encounters with all of these men?! "Sakura, this isn't natural."

"Why isn't it? They've taught me so many different things! I've experienced so much with people I've become very close to," she argued.

Konan looked at Pein incredulously as he resisted the urge to laugh. This poor girl was playing her like a fool and hadn't a clue about the context of their original conversation. What a wonderful day this was turning out to be.

"Please, Konan. They make me happier than I've been in my entire life. Sure, they can be pretty damn annoying at times, but I wouldn't change anything," Sakura pleaded, clasping her hands together.

Unsure, and slightly disturbed, Konan folded her wings and dropped to the ground. "I... may not understand your passion for this, but I cannot deny that they are behaving better than they used to." She paused, wondering if the human world had changed that drastically since her time in Heaven. "I'll refrain from criticising your views. For now, let's head to Madara's realm."

Sakura expressed her gratitude to the woman while Pein motioned the others to meet them.

Sasori idled at his leader's side, seemingly interested in the level of discomfort radiating from Konan. "Your arm is injured and your clothes are tattered. What happened?"

"Sakura sorted it out with her naivete."

"So you did admit it to Konan." Sasori shook his head disapprovingly. "You just love riling her up, don't you?"

"Can you blame me? Seeing that calm visage break every once in a while is a pleasurable sight," Pein responded. A tap on his shoulder cut his chat short as it was time to bid the two women farewell.

Konan, gesturing to the others, spoke to Sakura, "They cannot go where we must. If you wish to say any departing words, this is the time."

Sakura could take a hint. Now, it was time to say any last words in case the worst outcome actually came true. Approaching them, Sakura bowed to them respectfully. "I'll see you later, guys. Don't have too much fun without me."

"Kind of hard to when one of the most interesting members will be gone," Kisame joked. He stalled minutely, thoughtful of their situation. Then, his large hand slapped onto the top of her head, ruffling her hair. "Be careful, kid."

"Don't try to be sneaky," Kakuzu added. "The stories of Madara are full of his mischief, so he won't fall for anything. And don't you try to fall for any of his tricks either. You're smarter than that."

Swirling from a black mass, Raiton and Suiton crawled from underneath his shirt, jumping on his shoulders. "Kakuzu's bride! Good luck!" Raiton wished, waving his spindly, little arm.

Suiton mimicked his brother. "Good luck!"

Sakura laughed, nodding. "Okay, okay. I will." As they retreated back into their places on Kakuzu's back, she turned to the rest of her team. "I'll try to order some nice take-out when I get back, okay?"

Hidan bit at his thumb, eyes averted. "That won't matter if you end up dead, idiot. Make sure to fuck up that Madara and get the weapon. When you come back, I'll kick your ass on equal grounds, so you can't say shit." He spoke quickly, his words toppling over each other, body seemingly closed off to her.

"We'll see. But if you start crying about losing then I can't help you there," she teased, receiving an approving grin from the silver-haired demon.

Sasori carried a card in his hand, marked with ancient text Sakura wasn't familiar with. "A card?" She examined it carefully, squinting at the strange gift.

"It's a summoning. The chest that originally housed the weapon is bound to the card. Once you have it, you can store the weapon inside and bind it to the card again. I created it in case you may require an easier transport. You know, if the weapon is a two-handed greatsword of some kind."

"Oh, I didn't even think about that. Thanks, Sasori." However, it seemed unlikely. The chest was so small, it could only fit a dagger or something of similar size. She flinched as he flicked the tip of her nose.

"Remember our lessons, Sakura," he stressed, "I will not allow you to fail this mission."

"So much pressure," she mumbled, rubbing her nose. "I'll do whatever is in my power."

"And let me give you a piece of advise." Leaning in, he spoke in a hushed tone. "No names. Keep anything about us quiet in the case that an angel comes to Madara for questioning. Understood?"

"Crystal clear."

Deidara hurried to her, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Sakura, make it back here. You made the promise to watch Gladius Kings, so you have to, hm."

"I will, Deidara," she reassured, smiling.

"And..." He swallowed hard, his face and ears burning. "Can I kiss you?"

Pein slammed his hand into Deidara's face, pushing the blonde away from Sakura. "Enough with your langue doucereux."

"Hey! I was talking to her!" Deidara shouted. "Ça me fait chier. Hm!"

Pein stared down at him. "There are more important matters. Leave, Sakura. We'll be waiting."

Gathering herself, Sakura nodded her head slowly. Deidara had a knack for throwing her off her game. She waved once more before turning her back to them. "Goodbye! I'll be back! I promise!" Konan grabbed hold of her wrist, the air surrounding the pair growing thin. Glittering lights like that of a city invaded her vision, their bodies losing mass and their feet lifting above the ground.

"Kick the living shit out of him! Madara will be begging you to give him that fucking weapon when you're done, Sakura!" Hidan howled, the words being her last as the women vanished completely.

Now, silence. The six were left without any words. Half wondered if this was what they were seeking, putting even the tiniest amount of dependence on a mortal. The others thought of nothing, fixated on her return with the weapon. They were so close - their fingertips brushing against the future, a revolt in every demon's name locked away. Now, all they needed to do was wait.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura fell from Konan's arms, tumbling onto the hard ground. She rolled onto her back, rubbing her aching head. Traveling like that made her feel like she was trapped in a trash compacter, her body curling into a ball, tighter and tighter. Maybe she was being too critical of Pein's scrolls. She'd much rather feel light-headed than flattened like a pancake.

"Damn, how long does it take for this feeling to wear off?" she complained, jamming her thumb against the center of her forehead. "I don't think I can- Konan?"

Gone. Like a dream.

Jumping to her feet, Sakura took in her surroundings. "Konan?" A mocking laugh echoed behind her, the voice belonging to a man with long, choppy hair and a strong build. "Madara."

"So you know my name? I'm deeply honored," he spouted dryly. With a playful grin, he bowed to her half-heartedly.

Sakura squared her shoulders, head held higher. "Where's Konan?"

"Relax, little one. She's off on her own while I deal with you," he replied, clearly seeing through her guise.

Her eyes drifted to the metal rods puncturing his shoulders and the studs circling the center of his chest. Why was she seeing this again? What was the point of these piercings for? Pein had so many on his body that it would be too obvious that she was counting them. None of the others had them, so was it only for older demons? Ones that lived before the banishment?

"Interested, eh?" Madara broke in, interrupting her thoughts. "Admiring the physique of an illustrious member of the holy guard, aren't you?"

"What? No!" If she mentioned that she knew someone with similar piercings, he may know she'd been in contact with Pein. And, as Sasori told her, it would be troublesome if an angel found out they visited Madara.

He waved her off, rolling his eyes. "Human women are so easily tempted," he remarked dully.

"I'm not attracted to you," Sakura exclaimed, grinding her teeth. "I want the weapon!"

His onyx eyes flickered with newfound interest. "How humorous. A woman wanting to get her hands on my sword." With no response from the other party, Madara smiled down at her, fascinated by this stranger. "You're not like the others that have come to visit me."

"Others have visited you?" she asked. She had expected to be the second to meet with him. No-one had told her that there were more...

He nodded, reminiscing. "Many others - always bowing and feigning politeness. Unfortunately, they never lasted long. Konan's an exception, however."

She regarded him warily. "They... never last?"

"What makes you think they would?" Regarding her quizzically, the old demon began circling her. "What is your name?"

"As if you need to know," she sassed, watching him carefully.

He laughed, "Women aren't usually so discourteous in my presence. I'd like to think you're just playing hard to get."

"Fuck off! All I came here for-" Her entire body froze as she felt long, slender fingers comb through her hair, pulling gently on the washed, uncut ends. The pads of his fingers trailed down her neck delicately. Turning, Sakura stared daggers at the man who appeared suddenly behind her.

Madara whispered, his icy breath purposefully fanning over her bare neck. "Do not suspect that I am a fool. Although I may find your venture here highly entertaining, that does not inhibit me from killing you." He jerked roughly on her shoulders, lower jaw clenched. "If you want the weapon... rip it from my body."

She twisted out of his grip, planning an attack. He was an ancient being and she was on par with an intermediate-level judo student.

No pressure!

Focus, focus, she chanted in her head. He has to have a weakness! Everybody does!

His legs were positioned perfectly, most likely able to take a hit and then a few more. His arms were covered in scars from past battles, some seemingly more faded than others. To Sakura, it was likely that past visitors must have done a bit of damage against him.

"You're staring again. Have I unknowingly seduced you?" he chaffed.

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up." Was this guy ever going to take her seriously?

Tilting his head, Madara showed off a beguiling grin. "What purpose does a human girl have for my weapon anyway? I'm wondering why Konan would bother reaching out to you in the first place." The two danced around each other in a circle, watching the other through fierce gazes. "Perhaps you don't need the weapon? Why not stay by my side in this prison? You're much too pretty to discard."

He steadily drifted closer, enough for his hand to reach out for her face. His fingernails traced the soft angles of her jaw. "Re-think your options. I'm not like those monsters thrown in Hell. I lived in Heaven and was held in high-esteem for my duty. I would rather not have this meeting end with bloodshed."

Sakura quietly fished through her waist pouch, fumbling arond for the small folding knife she packed - just in case. Her jaw clenched, eyes refusing to leave his for the sake of animalistic dominance. She hated him. More than anyone she could have ever hated in her life. Looking down at her like a little object. He was a narcissistic old jerk with an ego the size of a daibutsu, minus all of the positives most were known for.

"What do you say? Let's not act irrationally," he continued. "Stay with me until I've had my fill."

"Like hell I would do anything with you, bastard!" Folding knife in hand, Sakura stabbed the small weapon through his chest, piercing his flesh.

Stricken silent by her sudden attack, Madara stared down at her, his pleasure over her diversion to his imprisoned existence vanishing into thin air. "You really expected a human-made weapon to harm me?"

The two-inch blade dug deeper into his chest as Sakura pushed harder, her hand still firmly on the grip. "I don't fucking care! Having you think I'm some little doll that you can play with is not what I came here for! I am a woman, but I've fought against demons before. I'm not afraid of you. I just want the fucking weapon lodged in your damn stomach!" She pulled the knife from his upper pectoral with a single jerk. "If I have to rip it from your stomach then I will. I want nothing to do with you otherwise!"

His fingers curled into his palms, creating tightly-clenched fists. "Fine. Have it your way."

Sakura yelled in surprise as Madara vanished yet again from her sight. The sudden puncture of pain radiating from her back threw her forward. He was too fast for her mortal eyes to see. Sakura knew that if this continued, her efforts would be completely in vain.

Meaning: She had to fight a little dirty to even have a chance of squaring up against him.

"You've fought demons, little girl? I suppose it could be something to gloat about if Konan was at your side protecting you. Otherwise, you're just as weak as the rest. In Heaven, I was the strongest - the wisest, even - a single step below the Master."

His boasting annoyed her. She'd rather die than hear him utter another damn thing about himself. "I swear, you're so fucking obnoxious. If you think Heaven's so great then why did they lock you in here anyway?" she bit out, stalling time as she inconspicuously reached inside her pouch for one of the few omamori she brought with her.

"Ignorant louse! Your mouth should be sewn shut!" He stomped towards her, visibly angry that she would even speak to him in such a way. He was a preeminent deity and she was a little speck in the universe - not nearly as important as he was.

His hand cupped her face, pulling her from the ground. With his other hand, he held the back of her head. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," he whispered, twisting her head in an unnatural direction.

Sakura grunted, "I don't care." Taking the charm, she pushed it against his face just as she did with Pein, the talisman fully intact rather than ripped open. Sakura waited for him to recoil back, but he remained just as he was. It seemed as though the charm itself had no effect on him, shocking her.

Panicking, Sakura began to struggle, kicking her legs against him and keeping her hands around his wrists as he sought to break her neck. She wasn't aware of her body's limitations. How much farther did he need to push before he dislocated her vertebrae and dropped her to the floor unable to breathe until she suffocated?

That trick wasn't enough. If he didn't react to the omamori still intact, it would be impossible to open it without losing her grip on both of his hands. She couldn't open it with just one either. Now, she was left without any other choice. Taking her hand off of his, Sakura shuffled through the remaining items in her pouch and grabbed one of the bombs Deidara gave her.

1.2 meters... I don't know how powerful they are, but I'd risk getting blown up than have this freak kill me, she thought.

Madara stared blankly at her. "Konan should have told you that I am not one for mercy. Oh well... She probably won't visit for awhile." He pushed harder against her head, receiving a holler of pain from Sakura.

Dismissing her hesitation, Sakura slapped the clay against the center of his chest, the piece detonating instantaneously. The impact propelled both of them in opposite directions, slamming their bodies against the ground. Her ears rang a constant, high-pitched hum, her eyesight blurred and shaky. The heat and smoke invaded her as though she walked into open flames, frying portions of her hair and burning the entirety of her left hand to a blistered, bloody mess. Her clothing was tattered and torn, a few spots of skin on her upper body searing hot and opened raw. She was left winded with what she suspected to be a fractured wrist and bruised bones. Trying to get to her feet was impossible, her body wouldn't move a single budge until it caught up to her brain.

Apparently, there wasn't time for that as Madara charged towards her. She did her best rolling away from his fist as it hammered in the exact place her head used to be, creating a concave impression in the earth. A gaping hole in his chest bled out, the surrounding flesh charred black like charcoal. He should have been dead, but to Sakura's dismay he was much stronger than the average demon.

Using the stores of energy he had left, Madara clamped down on her leg, yanking her back towards him. Both of his hands wrapped over her neck, the man attempting to strangle her. Sakura immediately went for his open wound, jabbing her hand into his chest.

He cried out as she roughly scraped her nails against his insides, tearing the tissue and muscle apart. She'd never let it end this way. Blood flowed down her arm, staining her clothes as she used enough strength to pass through his entire body, ripping the hole entirely through his chest cavity. Feeling his fingers loosen around her neck, Sakura wrenched her arm from him, coming free and forcing him back while crawling away from his reach.

Madara coughed, splattering blood on the floor. "Explosives... from a demon?" His hand rested over his chest, the fresh blood painting it red in seconds. He was impenetrable against weapons made by mortals. To have this horrendous wound meant she had others in Hell working with her.

Slowly, Sakura pushed herself off the ground, knees wobbling. "I have more!" she threatened.

"Who are you working for? What demon would ever side with a human?" Madara muttered, collapsing as he became unable to hold his own weight.

"That's none of your business. Right now, you should be contemplating how you're supposed to fight with that hole in your chest," she answered, silently praying that he'd stay down.

"If I'm vulnerable, why not finish me off? It would take a bit of time for me to regenerate, so I'd expect you to use that to your advantage."

"Th-then I will!" she decided, however, she was still debating it in her mind. He was severely wounded and it went against her morals to actually kill someone with a conscious. The mindless demons were easy, but he was a walking-talking person.

But Madara was a massive asshole that undermined her abilities and treated her like dirt, so he deserved to die. And like he said, he'd regenerate sooner or later...

She shook her head. "If you've got something to say, say it now!"

He laughed at her. "Humans with their moral sensitivities. Don't mind me at all. In fact, I'd say this was an interesting end to things. You were visited by a lick of luck from the Master and that's all there is to it."

Taking another clay piece from her pouch, Sakura wondered if this was necessary. If she could just push aside her feelings and move on like the others it would make things so much easier. Making space between them, Sakura threw the little spider in his direction with a flick of her wrist. It felt like cheating at a video game. For once, Sakura didn't feel an ounce of pride in herself.

As the other did, the bomb detonated, creating a mild, yet lethal, explosion. Fanning the clouds of smoke away, Sakura approached him. "Madara?" Blood pooled at her feet, her eyes drifting to the lifeless form of the 'high-esteemed, all-knowing demon lord'.

The beating of wings caught her attention as Konan settled behind her. "I apologize. I didn't want my presence to interfere in your objective."

Sakura nodded, "That's fine."

"You seem upset," Konan pointed out. "What's wrong?"

"I just... Okay, I know it's stupid, but I feel bad for him. All I've heard is that he's been locked up in here since forever and, apparently, the only people who ever come to visit him are looking for the weapon, excluding you."

"His title comes with tremendous power and it's only expected of others to come in search of it."

"And I understand that. But throughout all of his dumb bullshit, he still believed that there was still something up in Heaven for him. Why would he consider that? Pein told me angels hate demons, so he wouldn't be any different. For fuck's sake, they locked him in here! I just want to understand."

Konan sighed, crouching down at Madara's feet. "You have a very kind heart, Sakura. But Madara isn't like Pein or the others in Hell. He was born for the Master and by the Master. He took pride in himself and in his accomplishments. Out of all the demons in Heaven, I'm sure he was one of the very few who genuinely respected the angels."

"Sounds like he was just brainwashed. Indra would never allow a demon there."

"Indra wasn't always a governing force," Konan explained. "He began as a humble bard for the Master and had no right to delve in such matters. In fact, an angel named Hashirama presided over the others as one of the Master's best guards. He and Madara were very close."

Sakura turned to her, unable to mask her shock. "An angel and demon friends?"

"More than that. They were practically inseparable." Konan smiled to herself, remembering the many times she'd wander the holy grounds with the pair. "Their personalities were switched which was rather humorous. Instead of being the strict, no-nonsense type like the rest of the angels, Hashirama was playful and openly compassionate while Madara took his role very seriously. They balanced each other well."

"If that's the case, why doesn't Hashirama visit him then? Or is he..." Her voice trickled away, allowing Konan to finish her thought.

"Hashirama's dead. There is no more to tell." Madara's voice startled her, causing the girl to back away a few steps. His body regenerated that fast?! She thought she'd have some time for an explanation and then walk away.

Konan leaned over him. "We're here for the weapon, Madara. Indra is plotting something and it may put everyone at risk." Her voice was soothing, the older woman brushing her knuckles against his cheek.

Madara weakly reached for her hand, taking hold of her wrist. Turning his head, his eyes shifted to Sakura. "Why didn't you just take it and leave? Humans are... so stupid." He pulled himself up, only to have Konan push him back to the ground.

"Your wounds aren't fully healed. Lay back and rest," she murmured.

Sucking in a breath, Sakura sat beside Konan, unsure whether or not he would attack her. After careful monitoring, she relaxed slightly, ready to speak to him civily. "Madara. I didn't take the weapon because I want you to hand it over willingly." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth, but that didn't matter.

"Aren't you just the righteous, upstanding opponent," he remarked hollowly. "I'd kill you now if I could."

"I don't doubt that," she said honestly. "But you must know what's happening. Indra is killing demons! I want to be there to help and fight alongside them, so everyone can be equal again."

"Why do you care about the politics of Heaven and Hell anyway? None of this should matter to you," he stated.

"Well, it should matter to you! Your own people are being murdered," she shouted.

He looked away, a faint, detached smile on his face. "They aren't my people. I have no interest in the affairs of demons created in Hell. They're mindless monsters, seeking only bloodshed and death. Let them rot."

"That's not true! I've met a few who are just like you!"

"Just like me? Me?" He chuckled. "You're as blind as any other mortal."

Konan took Sakura's side. "After you were sealed, many demons escaped Heaven to reside in Hell for protection. Your own brother was one among thousands."

A brother? Sakura hated not being in the know about these sort of facts.

"Blood does not make a brother. That title is earned through trust and respect. Izuna was a stranger to me then and he'd be a stranger to me now," Madara reasoned, unperturbed.

"Hashirama would never allow such gruesome acts to continue," Sakura pointed out. "If he was friends with a demon, that is."

His eyes widened in surprise, disgust etched into his forming scowl. "You have no bearing to speak for Hashirama, girl! I know well that your worthless lineage wasn't even a concept yet, so keep your disgusting thoughts to yourself!" He shook his head, nonplussed. "Presumptuous! As if any human had the right to speak like that about a holy being! You're beyond fortunate I am so weak or I'd finish you off in one strike."

"But I know that even in those times, demons were alienated from angels because of their vast differences. Hashirama cared for you enough that he could look passed that, didn't he? I'm sure that if he was alive, the two of you would want everyone to be treated fairly!" Sakura argued.

"Hashirama is dead! There is no point in questioning what would have happened if he survived," he yelled.

Sakura sat back, pondering if his aggressive reaction was something she should push further. Hashirama was obviously important to Madara - even moreso than his own brother. However, his feelings seemed restrained like they were leashed back by a heavy chain. The others were the same way, having their own trouble with sharing their feelings to her too. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to make a heart-to-heart. The weapon came first.

"Madara, I'd like to compromise with you," she announced.

Konan and Madara shared a look of confusion. "A compromise? Between myself and a lowly human like you?" he replied, skeptical.

"I promise that it's something worth considering."

He winced as Konan lifted him up, her hand on his back as he sat hunched over. "Tell me already."

"Okay... We can use the weapon as collateral, meaning that I can return it to you after everything's said and done. And, if possible, request that you be freed from this prison," she proposed.

Madara wasn't prepared for the latter remark. Set him free? A human to do that simply sounded like a fairy tale. "I've been here for thousands of years. They would never let me out of here."

"Not with that attitude. Besides, anything's possible. Who knows what will happen if the demons win," Sakura countered.

Both of his hands fell over his stomach. "And if I refuse your proposition?"

She patted her pouch gently. "My knife isn't sharp enough to cut you open, so I'd have to blow you up again. I don't want to, but I will."

Looking to Konan for advise, the woman nodded her head, goading him into agreeing. With a long, drawn out sigh, Madara disdainfully regarded Sakura once more. "I begrudgingly accept your offer." He had never witnessed someone asking for temporary ownership. Also, there was still the possibility that she would die anyway, so it was give or take for him. "Just take care to remember that I'm doing this out of honor and respect. I do not agree or expect things to change in either Heaven or Hell. And, of course, if you die, Konan will bring the weapon back to me where it rightfully belongs."

"I understand. Thank you for this." She bowed to him. "I deeply appreciate it, Madara."

He smiled smugly. Madara always approved of the people who treated him like the powerful deity he was. "And you should. Most are not awarded mercy from someone as grand as I."

She rolled her eyes. Atleast he shut up about her being a woman. "I kind of have people waiting for me in Hell, so can we get this over with?"

Impatient, little-

Madara unhinged his jaw, causing a shiver to crawl up her spine. Demons and their gross bodies! How could he claim to be dignified if he literally swallowed his weapon?! Sounded like something a crazy person would do. Then again, she only knew him for so long. Konan obviously felt something towards the man if she continued to meet with him.

She let out a surprised squeak as a small, folded fan emerged from his throat. It took her a few seconds later to realize that what he held was actually the weapon she searched for.

"A fan? I thought you said it was a sword," she stated.

"What I said was a figure of speech. Besides, this weapon is far superior than a sword," he responded, struggling to his feet with Konan's added support.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "It's so small. There's no way that a simple fan could cut down an angel."

"Oh?" Madara grinned. With a whip of his hand, the fan's guard lengthened, a light pluming outwards into a thin, nephroid-shaped leaf, transforming into a large gunbai war fan. "Are you in awe, little girl?"

"Sakura, are you sure this is what you want?" Konan began, worried as Sakura approached him. "This isn't your fight. You have nothing to prove."

"It was my decision to stay." She halted as Madara stood on his own, peering down at her. "If I die, it will be of my own choice. And... Konan?"

"Yes?"

"I'd hate to think about it, but if I do... Can you tell them I had fun?" she requested.

Konan nodded her head solemnly. "Of course."

Exhaling, Sakura lifted her eyes to Madara. In silence, with her hand hovering over the handle, Sakura finally took hold of the gunbai.

The moment was a blur. All she could feel was an intense weight tug at her hand, the power of the weapon trying to break free from her grasp.

You're not strong enough for me.

You're nothing.

You should just die!

Sakura held on, feeling her body fold like a crumpled piece of paper. But she withstood it. She couldn't let them down. She wasn't all talk, she was proof that a human could stand with demons!

A little girl couldn't possibly be an equal to a demon. You're the flawed creation of an unworthy god. The husk of what could-have-been. Dirt shoveled over and over until the end of time. Your kind are the worst! Die!

So many times she had heard such dissuasion. 'You're not good enough. You can't do this. You can't do that.' As if she would ever follow a path cultivated by someone else. Not again. Her mother could eat a pile of shit before she'd ever accept that life again. None of them could stop her from this. She would not permit another person to tell her what to do with her own life! Damn it, she didn't face a powerful demon just to die!

She was not a scared little girl. She was a stubborn ass that wouldn't budge, not even for a holy weapon!

Bellowing out a loud, almost primal, scream, Sakura lifted the weapon over her head. Her limbs felt like jelly, the fan's power implanting itself into her very core. The brightest of lights invaded her sight, fiery waves of heat soaking her skin. Her knees buckled, but she forced herself to keep standing. She knew that if she faltered once, it was all over.

All of the operating systems in her body seemed to be working twice their normal pace. Faster and faster her heart beat. Every breath she breathed only ended with another need for air. Through all this, all she could think about was coming home.

Coming home to the people she cared about most. The people who needed her to win.

Suddenly, a startling jolt caused her body to spasm. The feeling enveloped her chest, carrying its power through her vessels, mingling with her own blood. Sakura found the sensation disconcerting - like a foreign object had just been introduced inside of her soul.

And just as it began, the feeling ceased.

She fell to her knees, a pounding headache and aching body as the rendering effects.

Madara laughed, "Amazing. You truly are mystifying."

Sakura let out a grunt, unable to release a single bite back at him.

"I was fully expecting you to die, but here you still are." He thought quietly to himself until deciding to speak once more. "There is one thing I will tell you. It's about my no-good brother..."

"What is it?" Konan asked.

"If you're interested in sharpening your skills with my gunbai then it would be best to seek him out. You see, even though I can't stand him, Izuna is a smart fellow. He always had a knack for memorizing things, so I'm sure he can share a few tips."

The woman nodded, "I know his location. He may travel around, but he's been known to stay in Tier-Seven."

Curling his lip in disgust, Madara turned his head away. "Typical. He would go for the most dangerous one, wouldn't he?"

Bending down, Konan helped Sakura up. "Let's go. I'm sure they're worried about you."

"Y-yeah," Sakura mumbled, carrying the weapon with both arms.

Both women began their return back to Hell, Konan's hand raised to create the warp.

"Wait." Madara's voice echoed behind them. "I would like to ask one thing."

Ugh. What now? Sakura was exhausted, ready to fall into bed and sleep for weeks.

"Your name. I'd like to know the identity of the woman who blindsided me and blew away a large chunk out of my chest," he exclaimed, gesturing to the unsightly gash.

Konan held Sakura tightly as their feet left the ground, producing the same blinding light she had seen before. "Haruno Sakura. And don't forget that! Next time we see each other, you'll be walking out of here! I promise!" she yelled in a single breath.

"Haruno Sakura... I see. Well, safe travels then. I hope your actions speak louder than your words," he retorted.

As they disappeared, Madara dropped to the ground, sighing heavily. Laying on his back, he stared at the blank sky above him.

"Don't keep me waiting, Haruno Sakura."

OoOoOOoOoO

Pein stood abruptly, sensing the shift in the air around him before Konan and Sakura arrived. Upon their entrance, Sakura stumbled towards as the others quickly grouped beside the pair.

Deidara studied her injuries, astonished by the burns on her hand and the massive amount of blood on her clothes. "Sakura! What happened?"

Sakura grinned, showing off the gunbai, waving it around in her hands. "Madara wasn't as bad as I expected."

"You... got it? You actually got the weapon?" Hidan questioned, dumbstruck.

She bounced on her heels, laughing hysterically. "I got it! I fucking have the gunbai!" Tears formed in her eyes, her chest heaving.

Hidan and Deidara shrieked, the silver-haired demon cursing loudly and hollering while the blonde applauded her.

"Is that his blood and shit all over you? You fucking destroyed him! I can't wait to fight against this thing!" Hidan crowed, examining the weapon up close.

"I'm so relieved you're okay!" Deidara cheered. "Did my bombs work for you, hm?"

Kisame grabbed her up in his arms and tousled her burnt hair. "I knew you'd pull through. You'll have to tell me all about it."

"I'd like to hear the story too," Kakuzu added, walking to Kisame's side. "I'm sure it was quite the challenge."

"He wasn't too much of a trickster, but he had his ways," Sakura explained. "But the weapon really tired me out. I think I need to go to sleep for a while."

"She's right. We should head home. And, Sakura, I'd like to speak with you when we return," Pein announced.

"Hey, she said she was going to spend time with me!" Deidara growled.

"Please. You can have your time together whenever she's rested," Pein impassively responded.

Deidara pouted, his hands scrambling to take Sakura from Kisame's clutches. "Pshh. You better not try anything."

Sasori smirked, "Careful, Pein. You might have a rival."

"It's a bit late for that. Don't you think?" Pein retorted.

Sakura's eyelids drooped. "You all are in such a great mood," she drawled. "We should be celebrating."

"Perhaps another time. We'll have to call Tsunade to tend to your wounds then move forward," Kakuzu noted, pointing directly to her scorched hand.

She nestled closer to Deidara's chest, yawning. "I can't even feel it anymore."

"The gunbai may have helped with numbing the pain temporarily. But it's best to be safe than sorry," Sasori explained. "Why are you still holding that thing anyway? I brought the chest for a reason, you know."

"I went through hell to get this thing. I'll put it in the chest when I want to," she argued. The fan was relatively light for her, making it even easier to carry it.

"So proud. I guess it's okay since it is a moment to relish in. Soak it all up while you can," he replied.

Deidara squeezed her lightly. "Sleep, Sakura. You did a great job."

Relaxing, Sakura did as he instructed, finally caving into her desperate need to rest.

OoOoOOoOoO

She awoke, hearing Tsunade's voice calling out to the others. "Hey, she's waking up!"

Squinting at the sunlight pouring into her room, Sakura felt a hand stroke her hair. "How are you feeling, Sakura?"

"Tsunade? Please, tell me I haven't been out for a week," she whined, shading her eyes.

The woman laughed, her shoulders shaking. "I can't believe that's the first thing you're worried about. Nah, it's only been a day. You slept like a baby."

Lifting her hand, Sakura felt the tightly wound bandage stiffen against her. She felt disgusting. Her hair clinging in black clumps on her head while she still smelled the blood on her clothes.

"You guys scared the hell out of me. The way they were carrying you made me think you were close to death like before," Tsunade sighed. "That better not happen again."

"When can I take a shower?" Sakura asked.

"Anytime. I left a list of things you need to do to take care of your burns and some pain relievers on your desk."

"What are you? A doctor too?" the girl grunted.

Tsunade shrugged. "Used to be. Don't do that anymore though. My husband Dan has his own practice while I rent out a few places."

Yeah, and try to scare your tenants off.

"I appreciate the help, Tsunade. But I need to speak privately with Sakura," Pein remarked, motioning for the others to leave, as well.

Tsunade understood, wishing the girl a fast recovery and grumbling about getting a quick drink. Sometimes, she was too nice.

Now alone, Sakura sat up, propping a few pillows behind her. "Madara has a brother named Izuna. He told me that I should contact him for more information on the gunbai."

"Izuna. I'm fairly familiar with the name. What else occurred?" Pein sat down at her side, giving her a bit of space.

"He didn't really want to give me the weapon, so I told him that I would just be borrowing it until it was safe enough to return it." She frowned as he appeared angry. "What? I got it, didn't I?"

"It would have been better if you had just taken it without making a compromise. You obviously fought with the man, so why make a deal like that?"

She threw her hands in the air, frustrated by his response. "I don't know! I felt bad that he was cooped up in there without anybody else. What was I supposed to do? Pry open his ribcage and take it?!" Crossing her arms, she turned away from him. "Always ready to criticize. Damn, Pein. I thought you'd be happy like everyone else."

"I am. I was just hoping we could take it for ourselves." Craning over her legs, he managed a glimpse at her face. "I'm proud of you. You really outperformed any human I've seen."

She faced him, eyes fixated on his. "Do you mean that?"

"What other human would be dumb enough to use an explosive at close range?"

"The same dumb human that made you drink a bunch of beer."

"It was torture, no doubt."

Creeping closer, Sakura felt the heat of blood cross over her cheeks. She made her way to his lips, kissing him until he pulled away. "What? Why did you do that?"

Pein wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "I... wasn't expecting that." Spying the hurt in her eyes, Pein attempted to explain himself. "Don't do something so unfair. I'm not used to it."

"But we did it the other night. Why would you act like you didn't like me kissing you?"

"That night was influenced by alcohol and nerves. I didn't anticipate you wanting more from it," he responded logically.

Sakura struggled to comb her fingers through her hair. Great, now she would need to chop off a few inches. "You said that if I had any itches, you could help."

"I know that. Just..." He stood off from the bed. "You're being an ass." His voice marked with frustration.

"What?! How?"

Pein rubbed his stiffened shoulder. "I'll relieve you of your desires, but please, don't kiss me like that."

"You're fine with having your arm torn off or being bossed around by Indra, but a kiss from me bothers you?" Her eyes softened as he didn't answer her. "Fine. I won't do it unless you say it's okay. I was just feeling a bit crazy and it was the first thing that popped into my head."

"It's alright. Stranger things have happened," he replied, walking to the entryway. "Go freshen up and relax some more. Your body needs to recuperate." He stood idle in the middle of the hallway, exhaling silently as he stared back at the closed bedroom.

Resisting the urge to return inside, Pein's hand hovered over the door's handle only to move back as Deidara treaded up the stairs.

"Are you done?" the blonde asked, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Of course," Pein answered pleasantly, walking out of his way to speak to the others, ready to share the information of Izuna and the following task they needed to act upon. Taking a final glance back upstairs, he watched as Deidara entered her room with a warm, friendly smile.

"Sakura, do you need any help?"

OoOoOOoOoO

Shisui wandered through the halls, failing to find Indra. He wasn't in his usual spot atop the balcony, enjoying the sweet melody of a bard in the gardens nor did any angel in the main halls see him for some time. It was as though he had vanished into thin air.

Passing by another angel, Shisui asked them of Indra's location, desperate to speak with him. "Temari! Please, tell me. Have you seen Indra?"

"The last time I saw him, he was with Obito. I wasn't nearby, but it looked like they were heading to his room," she answered.

He thanked her, running in the opposite direction towards Indra's chambers. His concern for Itachi and Sasuke far outweighed the fear of being reprimanded by their predecessor. Since he was an angel of high regard, most were only allowed inside if the purpose was of utmost importance. But he needed to hear Indra's reassurance and hear what had happened. Besides, Indra was a kind man - possibly a bit rough around the edges - but overall a good individual who had their best interests at heart. He would definitely forgive Shisui's sudden intrusiveness.

Just as he had once visited, the halls leading to his room were dark, the air filtering though the closed-off tunnel raising goosebumps on his flesh. A sick feeling came over his stomach as an unrecognizable odor perforated his senses. He shielded his nose, the act failing to make an effort of blocking out the rancid stench. What could cause such a horrible scent?

Turning the corner and reaching Indra's door, Shisui's throat tightened. There was no way to explain it - not rationally, of course - but an invisible fog of evil seeped from the cracks of the entrance. He quietly made his way towards the chamber, worried he may interrupt something. Inside, he heard the muffled conversation between Indra and Obito.

"This operation is becoming dangerous. Aren't you worried about the Master's rising suspicions?" Obito wondered, his voice voice beyond the barrier.

"Without Itachi in the mix, I have nothing to fear. Being locked away, he won't be around to snoop in my plans," Indra remarked, fairly annoyed at the question.

Obito voiced his opposition, the sound of glass clinking loudly in the room. "I don't share your confidence. What about Pein and the other demons? I know you wouldn't let them walk around free while another gate's been opened - and in the mortals' world, nonetheless!"

"Silence Obito! Your words sound questionably doubtful of me. Are you really that unreliable in my time of need?"

Shisui heard a sigh, most likely belonging to Obito. "You're right. I apologize for appearing that way. But this scheme seems implausible. How will demon's blood work with angels if we have only performed one test?"

The young angel lurking behind the door covered his mouth in shock. Demon's blood? What could Indra seek with such a vile thing? Overhearing the rest of their conversation had his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach.

"Use some of the angels if necessary. Primarily the disposables; I wouldn't want our best soldiers discarded if things turn grim." The words slipped from his lips so casually, as though he were simply talking of the weather and not of using their own kind as lab rats.

"What of Itachi and Sasuke? Both are capable soldiers with powerful blood. Would it be best to dispose of them?" Obito asked.

"Absolutely not. After I've finished the steps towards gaining my new title, I'll release them. If they protest their allegiance to me, then we can kill them. Let's remain optimistic for now, Obito. Everything else is already laid out." He paused, exhaling a content growl after seemingly taking a long drink from his wine. "The future is looking bright."

"Sir..." Obito murmured tentatively.

"Yes, yes I know. Bring him in," Indra instructed.

Backing away, Shisui jumped in fear as the door whipped open. The guard grabbed him by the arm forcefully, a stoic expression on his face. Slamming the door behind him, Obito threw the eavesdropper onto the floor at Indra's feet.

"Shisui. Why are you skulking about this time of night? Aren't you aware that my quarters are strictly off-limits?"

Shaken, Shisui's immediate reaction was to bow down, his forehead pressed firmly against the marble stone. "I meant no ill-intention, Lord Indra. Honestly, I came here to-"

"Making up excuses," Obito spat, unsheathing his sword.

"Not at all! I was in search of answers, Lord Indra!" His body trembled as the sharp point of Obito's weapon rested on his back. "Please, believe me! I just wanted to set my mind at ease over Itachi and Sasuke's imprisonment."

Indra rested back in his chair, chin propped by his hand. "You witnessed it with your own eyes, yes? They attempted to flee."

"That can't be! I've known Itachi all my life. He would never betray us!" Shisui denied, shaking his head.

"Oh, but he did. I know it's hard to understand. I was at a loss of words myself, but people change. Manipulated by his younger brother, no doubt. Be thankful I didn't kill them then. Both still have potential, afterall."

Tears of anger welled in Shisui's eyes. To hear it with his own ears! He couldn't wrap his head around it. He refused to.

"Lies," he hissed, clenching his fists. "My brother would never act against you. Even if it cost him his life!"

Indra appeared unfazed. "Are you accusing me? Well, believe what you want. It doesn't matter to me." He smiled impishly at his partner. "It appears you'll have your mind set at ease, Obito. Shisui has gladly volunteered to run through our 'tests'."

Nodding, Obito cased his weapon then brought a struggling Shisui to his feet. Both fought against each other, Shisui putting up quite the fight against his stronger opponent. Tumbling across the room, Obito slammed the other man into the wall, subduing him with his hands behind his back.

"How can you do this? The Master will smite you down for your sins!" Shisui yelled as Obito opened the door.

Indra stared through him with eyes void of emotion. "That empty shell is nothing more than a dying bud tinged with shame and misfortane. Soon, our Master will be bowing to me as the new god of this world and all things connected."

Shisui wrestled in Obito's hold. "This isn't right! Stop this now! Lord Indra, this isn't right!"

Laughing loudly at his captive, Indra approached him at the open doorway. "Don't be foolish, Shisui. I'm always right."


	13. Unhinged

Shisui bit down on his tongue hard enough for his teeth to pierce through it. He shook irritably, body heated with what felt like a miserable fever, his limbs too weak to fight against the shackles keeping him against the examination table. Sweat soaked his curly locks, unable to even feel a cool breeze after being taken away by Obito. Hearing the metal door's hinges squeak, the young man's face contorted to anger as his captor entered the room with another colleague toddling behind.

Eyeing his ragged appearance, Obito began speaking to the young woman acting as his assistant. "Two days have passed since his first intake of demon's blood. Unlike Kabuto, our new subject is withstanding the toxicity well. It is possible that a certain amount of strength is necessary to keep one from dying." Obito observed his thrashing, squinting his eyes. "Although the effects may cause some permanent damage. We'll have to play with this one for a bit before we find out any real answers."

"You'll rot in Hell!" Shisui spat, struggling through a fit of deep-chested coughs.

The young woman behind Obito flinched, hearing the blood gurgling in his throat. Peeking behind her notes, she watched with morbid curiosity as Obito performed some routine vitals on their experiment.

"The subject refuses to eat and drink. Although angels can survive without sustenance, the lack of nutrients has caused his body to weaken. We will most likely have to force-feed him to regain some lost energy," Obito added, startling the woman back into scribbling in her pad.

Yanking at his chains with the last of his strength, Shisui snarled at the man standing over him. "Don't refer to me as your fucking 'subject'!"

Obito's brows raised. "Cursing? That's new. Izumi, write that down. I'll be adding more to his dosage. Stay with him and report anything new to me as soon as possible."

Looking concerned, Izumi stuttered nervously as her director walked past her to the door, "You're leaving me alone with him?"

"Calm yourself. There's nothing to fear while he's restrained." Under his breath, he began calculating the amount of added demon's blood into Shisui's next dose. "Hopefully this one won't die as fast." He closed the door, continuing his muttering.

Now alone, Shisui desperately sought help from her, pushing against the table. "Please... release me."

Izumi read through her notes to avoid conversation. The harder he yanked on his chains, the more nervous she became - fear inhibiting any movement.

"Izumi's your name, isn't it? I'm an angel like you! Please, by the mercy of the Master, let me go and I won't say a word to anyone!" he begged, vision blurring with tears.

She stared down at her written words, unable to contain herself as she heard his pleas. Her brow furrowed in frustration, lips kept tightly together. Obito had instructed her to be calm, but hearing such dreadful cries made her feel dirty for not taking action. She was an angel created to assist those in need, to go against that natural instinct made it all the more tasking.

"I have friends... family, actually. Everyone's probably wondering where I am! You can't just leave me like this," he urged, boring holes into the back of her skull as she turned away.

Brushing the feather end of her pen against her lips, Izumi piped up with a shaky voice, "L-listen! It's not like I have anything against you... Lord Indra assigned this job to me as Obito's aide. It's business and that's it." Lowering her head, she continued in a dark, uncaring tone. "I won't help you no matter what, so stop talking to me."

He sat in shocked silence. Was she really going to abandon him?!

With his limited freedom, Shisui reached out to her with his cuffed hand, the girl jumping back to avoid being touched. "Don't you see, Izumi? They're doing this to me now, but what will stop them from doing it to you too?" He struck a nerve as she looked down at him, wide-eyed. "Release me and we can tell the others about what's happening. We can tell the Master!"

"Lord Indra would never..." she murmured, shoulders shaking. She backed off as soon as the door opened.

Obito held a capped vial in front of his face. Swishing the contents inside, he turned to his assistant. "Hearing him curse was mildly entertaining, don't you think? It's not every day that you hear an angel break their oath." Receiving an uncertain nod by Izumi, he looked on to his experiment wrestling on the table. "Well, let's begin."

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura ran the tips of her fingers over the leaves of her new weapon, marveling at its beauty. In its folded form, the weapon had tomoe markings painted along the folds, making them visible once the two pieces separated. It appeared so delicate, but the material was otherworldly - as it should be considering its origins. She took note of the harsh, metal spike jutting out below the rivet. She guessed it could be used to stab at foes in close combat, but she wasn't an expert. That's what Madara's brother was for.

Taking the guard in her hand, Sakura practiced the transformation. She whipped it back and forth, bringing it to and from each form in a second. She two-stepped to the side of her couch, adding a playful touch to her movements. Watching it grow and shrink at the flick of her wrist was oddly entertaining.

Jumping forward, she stabbed at an imaginary enemy, adding a dramatic grunt or growl. Twirling back, she stumbled. Her foot kicked against the leg of the couch, stubbing her toe in the process. She released a shriek and a curse, cradling her foot as she fell back onto the cushions. Apparently, having the power of a demon didn't help against such a formidable foe.

Fanning herself, she thought on about the future adventures that awaited her. They would have to plan a trip to visit Izuna, the demon harboring knowledge about the gunbai's powers. After that, maybe they'd mark a few days for practice and then set out to take on Indra. She fretted if defeating him would interfere with her school schedule. She'd definitely have to inquire about that.

Hopping off the couch again, she hurled herself back into the perilous fight. Her feet skipped around the table with the butt-end of the fan thrust out from her hand. She sparred against her vision of Indra. His black, draconic wings elongated perpendicular to his body. The snarling form of his mouth. Reptilian eyes as cold as those of Orochimaru's. Spindly, long limbs and fingers, his body emaciated and sickly. A truly ugly creature. But no matter! Sakura would defeat him!

Continuing her play, the space surrounding her suddenly constricted, warping as her comrades teleported back using one of Pein's scrolls. Unbeknownst to both parties, Sakura slashed forward at Sasori as he re-entered the human realm. Sakura yelled, alerting Sasori to the oncoming, albeit completely innocent, attack. A few steps carried him back, the sharp spike a speck away from the bridge of his nose.

"What are you doing?" he asked, brow twitching.

Sakura hurried back to the couch where the gunbai's chest sat. "Nothing! Just preparing for stuff. Why the hell didn't you guys use the portal?" Her face flushed with embarrassment. At least if they came through the portal, she wouldn't have been caught.

"Can't use the thing. Too many angels are fucking around in Hell," Hidan answered, stretching his arms to the ceiling.

"What? Why?"

Pein had refused to share the knowledge of Orochimaru's research with Sakura. The others didn't find this decision to venture well when she found out the truth, but what purpose would there be to tell her? They had nothing to go on for Indra's harvesting their blood, nor a way to investigate it without invading Heaven or confronting the angel himself.

"We're not certain, but going through the portal will only raise suspicions. With the risk of Itachi, another angel discovering our secret entrance would kill our chances at a revolt," he answered.

"Then what were you doing there?" she asked, closing the chest.

"We were hailed by Obito."

"Obito?" The name didn't ring any bells to her.

"He's a commander for their combat unit and the leading man at Indra's side." His hands flattened against his tunic before crossing over his chest. "He's also one of the few angels that enter Hell to maintain numbers."

"What does that mean exactly?" Sakura had a good idea.

"If the number of demons gets too high, he levels it out again. Kind of like if a pot of water is filling up too fast, you empty it out," Kakuzu explained.

Of course, Sakura thought. Making sure there aren't too many to fight back.

Pein shook some ash from his hair. "He required our assistance for a nasty number. We were to stand and await orders if things became too dangerous for the new enlistments. Normally, we'd refuse, but we don't want anything unsavory happening yet."

Increasing their numbers in soldiers? Sakura could only guess why a 'peaceful' group of entities would do such a thing. "But doesn't that mean they're getting ready to fight? Isn't that why they're bringing in extra soldiers?"

"It happens from time-to-time. You wouldn't believe how many flake out as soon as they see what Hell's really like," Kisame replied, grinning. "Too many wimps up there, if you ask me."

Sakura nodded her head, thoughtful. Knowing nothing about Heaven's 'system', she decided to change the subject. "Since you're done working, do you want to hang out?"

"And do what?" Sasori asked, taking his place on the edge of the couch.

She hunched her shoulders. "Maybe go out to the entertainment district?"

"That place was obnoxious," Sasori refused, remembering the terror that was the Drum Master game.

Kisame rubbed a smudge of dirt off of Samehada's scales. For once, he agreed with the redhead. "Too many loud-mouths."

"Well, I want to do something," she whined.

A twinkle formed in Deidara's eyes as he listened in. Leaning over the arm of the couch, he grabbed hold of the girl and pulled her in close. "Sakura, we can have fun together." He coaxed her from her seat, gently leading her to the staircase.

He had waited for an opening in their schedules, now the two of them were free. Sakura had said they were going to 'talk'. He wanted to 'talk'. If Pein had his way, he'd do it better - ten times the amount of effort. This was his shot to prove what he was capable of.

"You're mine for now and I'm not going to share," he teased.

Sakura took note of his crooked smirk and the implication in his tone. "Are we watching Gladius Kings?" she tried, smiling weakly.

"Wait." Pein's voice rang louder than he expected from himself.

The others looked in his direction, puzzled. Sasori turned to Deidara then to Pein, curious. There was always a scene to be made. He just wondered what could be unveiled.

Taking a breath, Pein spoke calmly, "Wait."

Deidara growled, throwing his head back and rolling his eyes. "What do you want, hm?"

Silence. Kisame and Kakuzu glanced back at each other, amused grins passing over their lips until Pein brought their attention back to him.

"Sakura's a plank of wood in bed. It's all endless chattering and ape-like appeal, so keep your expectations low," he called out, embarrassing the girl. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Anger blossomed over her skin in a rosy hue. "B-bastard! You're a total asshole!" Her chest tightened, confidence deflating. Never had he said anything so hurtful to her.

Deidara snickered, climbing up the stairs and taking Sakura with him. "I'll see for myself, then." Jostling the girl behind him, the two raced up the steps and headed for her bedroom.

Sasori examined the unreadable expression on Pein's face. Crossing his arms over his chest, the redhead sat forward, sighing. "Have you always been this possessive?"

"It's not like that," Pein replied hollowly, although the edge in his words made it fairly apparent for all around him.

Sasori picked at a loose string from the decorative pillow resting on the couch. "You hurt her," he murmured, the words in her mind circulating through his. He pitied her. To have such a weak, human heart must be torturous.

Pein's wrists flexed, knuckles white. He understood, but he wouldn't appear weak. Not in front of his subordinates. "I am your leader. You do not lecture me."

"So am I supposed to ignore it when she wonders why you avoid looking at her? She thinks it so often that I may fear she lo-"

"Stop invading her thoughts, Sasori," Pein muttered, walking off. "And mind your own damn business."

Sasori exhaled, rubbing his temples. Life was becoming very stressful around these two. Throwing Deidara in only made it worse.

OoOoOOoOoO

Noticing Sakura's frown, Deidara shook her shoulder encouragingly. Arming himself with a bright smile, he tried to lift her spirits. "Ignore that bastard! He's never been really interested in women, so he's got some shitty opinions. Really, hm," he assured.

Sakura closed her eyes, flopping down on her bed. "Maybe." It didn't matter what anyone said, it still hit hard to hear him talk so flippantly about it.

Deidara stared down at her, pausing to contemplate something, then stepped toward her. "Hey."

"Hm?" She peeked through her lashes, spying his face inches from hers. She began to speak as he grabbed hold of her wrists, pulling them above her head. "Dei-"

"Let me see what he didn't. Just a glimpse is enough," he started, taking a hand off of her wrist to pull up her shirt.

"And it doesn't bother you?" she asked, "About me sleeping with Pein?"

He leaned in, kissing her hard enough for their teeth to clash. Reeling back, he stared down at her with a blazing gaze and displeased expression. "First, last. Doesn't matter, hm. As long as you want me, nothing else is important. Is it okay, Sakura?"

She breathed in, lashes fluttering and face hot. Her fingers slid down his chest, eyes drifting between his legs, debating, wondering. Biting at her bottom lip, Sakura nodded slowly.

"Yes."

Deidara didn't miss his cue. Burying his face into her neck, he bit down, hearing her utter a startled squeak. He felt her back arch, her legs instinctively kicking out with muscles flexing. The parts of his brain grinding gears urged him to move quickly, his hunger for her growing. He helped her out of her shirt, watching with thinning patience as she struggled to remove her bra.

Everything seemed so uncoordinated and chaotic, much different than her experience with Pein, but having him paw at her like an animal melted her insides. Her hips raised, making contact with his, then dipped down and repeated until he pushed himself against her. She moaned as his hands slipped over her chest, squeezing, pinching, teasing her sensitive breasts. Her legs hung over the edge of the bed, toes curling.

In a way, she liked how desperate he was for her. It made her feel confident and sexy, a foreign thought that she never expected to have of herself. Taking his face in her hands, Sakura kissed him fiercely, craving a taste of him. He returned her kiss, his tongue tracing her lips. It felt nice to have someone kiss her back so eagerly.

Unfastening his pants, Deidara kicked them off and proceeded to take off his shirt. His cock throbbed as she followed suit, pulling her panties down to her ankles. He muffled a curse as he slipped her underwear passed her feet, bundling them into his fist. It killed him to look at her fully exposed, the need to be inside her controlling him like a puppet on strings.

"I want to fuck you," he rasped, his hands on her hips as he dragged her closer to the edge of the bed.

Laying on her back, she focused solely on his gaze. The moment the head of his cock grazed her clit, she gasped. "Deidara..."

He slid the tip between her folds, grinding flesh against flesh. Her hips bucked, another small gasp slipping from her lips.

He had been waiting and waiting and waiting. "I..." He closed his eyes, breaths ragged. How long could anyone survive such torture... He'd never wish this even on his worst enemy.

Sakura clenched her legs as he plunged inside of her. She threw her arms above her head, more sighs and whispers and moans belting from her throat. He handled her roughly, hammering into her. The faster he moved, the louder her voice rang out. Words were unintelligible. Her mind was swimming. All she felt was pure, unfiltered pleasure. She was soaking wet and had forgotten about Pein's callous words.

Loose strands of hair fell over his shoulders. His arms toned with hands planted firmly on the mattress. "Touch yourself," he ordered. Cerulean eyes, foggy with lust, peered down at her. He was starving. He licked his lips, watching as her hand trailed down her toned stomach to the joining of their hips.

She had complied willingly, fingers massaging her clit. The act was difficult to continue as she just wanted to sink into the bed and let him come, but she managed enough to have that familiar, tingling emerge before every orgasm.

Shaky breaths escaped her as she inched closer and closer to her climax. The inner walls of her sex tightened around his girth, undulating as she reached her peak. She threw her head back, drawing in all of the air her lungs could contain. A low whimper came from her throat, her body slowly resting back on the sheets she gripped so tightly to. She was in Heaven.

Deidara grabbed hold of her legs, spreading them further apart, gaining deeper penetration. The shine of sweat speckled her flushed face, her mouth open and eyes closed, trapped in a vortex of rising pleasure. He watched as her lips twitched into a small, shy smile, realizing how caught up she had become.

"You're so cute," he smiled.

Sakura brushed some hair off of her face. The adoration in his eyes caused her cheeks to flare up. He made her feel so much better. So much better than she thought she would with a man.

"I'm getting close," he whispered.

She nodded, hands gliding up and down his arms. Taking a handful of his hair, Sakura tugged him forward to meet for another kiss. She followed his motions, rocking her hips in hopes of garnering a reaction.

Indeed, she received one. Thrusting, Deidara lifted her hips, his entire body climbing on top of her. He mouthed a curse, then a prayer. Oh, God...

He came hard. Muscles spasming and heart pounding. An ache radiated in his teeth, the blonde clenching his jaw so tightly they could shatter. His cock pulsated, his cum filling her. Taking a long, drawn out breath, he planted a chaste kiss on her cheek before dropping down fully to smother his face with the pillow underneath her head.

"Amazing," he blurted, voice muffled.

Sakura wrapped her arms around him, hands meeting at the center of his back. "It was."

He lifted himself by his elbows, smiling down at her. "Good, hm." He paused, thoughtful and silent as he caressed her face. Kissing her again, Deidara then pulled out and rolled onto his back, hands cradling the underside of his head.

"Deidara?" Sakura stared down at his solemn figure, concerned.

Hearing no response, Sakura crept closer, laying her head on his chest. "What is it?" Did he just realize how lifeless she was in bed? Was Pein right?

"I'm sorry," he muttered, staring blankly at her bedroom ceiling. "I just feel... empty."

Sakura lifted herself off of him, her heart sinking. "Did I do something wrong?"

Deidara shook his head. "No, it was great... You were great. I've always felt like this after being satisfied." He brought his hand to the crown of her head, tickling her hair. "Thinking about it now... this emptiness was one of the first feelings I had after being born here. Well, I mean, Hell... as a demon."

"You remember that from so long ago?" she asked.

"A few centuries isn't too long," he replied.

"...Is that all you felt?"

He tried hard to remember. Although many of his friends were much older than him, give or take two centuries or more, he wasn't as sharp in comparison. "I'm kind of a shitty talker, but I'll try to explain it the best way I can." Sakura tilted her head, waiting and listening.

"Like I told you, there was that emptiness inside of me, but there was this desire to fill that hole. My chest was heavy and my throat burned. All I could think was how terrible of a person I was. ... I think I did something really bad. Sorry, I don't want to ruin the mood after just finishing." He rested his hand over his eyes. "Agh, sorry."

"Deidara." She wasn't used to seeing him so serious. "It's okay. You can tell me. Why did you think you were a terrible person?"

"I regretted something, but I just couldn't remember what. I still can't. Eating, sex, even drinking just gives me a quick fix - the emptiness always comes back and I end up having to do it all over again. Everything just tastes awful."

"But you eat my cooking all the time. When you first tried pizza you called it 'amrita' and devoured the box," she pointed out.

"It's not really the taste. Just knowing that that feeling will come back really makes it hard to eat sometimes. I can forget about it, but it always there," he replied.

"So you're a demon from Tier Four? A glutton?" Funny, he didn't look the part.

He nodded "Guess so. I woke up there then Pein found me."

"Do you know if any of the others are from that level of Hell too?" She could agree with Hidan, but Kakuzu or Sasori, taking their personalities into account, seemed to be from a different tier.

Shrugging his shoulders, Deidara then rubbed at his tired eyes. "I'm not sure. Never bothered to ask where they came from."

"Why?" Sakura held his hand.

"Uh... that's actually a good question." He scratched at his nose and sniffed. "I've never felt the urge to ask. Instinct, maybe? They'd probably throw me through a wall or something."

Sakura accepted his answer. They were demons, after all. None of them appeared to be too attached to each other. She'd find it hard to believe if any of them ever had a heart-to-heart about their origins. Scooting off the bed, she dropped her feet to the floor and began gathering her clothes.

"So do you want to go out and do something with me?" She sniffed her shirt. 

Dirty. She needed to do laundry anyway.

He yawned, stretching. After another second or two combing his fingers through his hair, Deidara jumped up, grabbing his trousers. "Sure. Can we go to a different part of town too? Like shopping?"

After hearing a bit of his past, Sakura didn't mind letting him choose. "Yeah, we can go to the shopping district. They have a huge department store there that I know you'll love."

He bounced on his heels, beaming. "Cool, hm!"

She walked to the door, opening it partially. "Let me take a shower and we can head out." Waving at him, Sakura tiptoed out the room only to jump a story-high at the sight of Pein waiting, his back to the wall.

"O-oh!" She made a pathetic attempt to appear unsurprised.

"Going out?" He struggled to sound pleasant, the words cutting through his grinding teeth.

She brushed down her messy hair, failing to cover the marks on her neck. "I invited Deidara out to go shopping. Just going to wash up." Circling back to the stairs, Sakura brought one foot down when Pein spoke up again.

"Sakura."

She faced him questioningly.

He hesitated. Hands set at his sides in balled-up fists. "I didn't mean it," he muttered in defeat. "I'm sorry."

Sakura stood, thinking, then trudged down the stairs without a word. She was relieved, but she wanted to punish him a little. Making him understand that he was being an ass was important, but she also believed he needed to reflect on it just a bit more. She would never let him off so easily. Closing the door to the bathroom, Sakura giggled fiendishly.

Pein apologized. It almost sounded like he was jealous.

OoOoOOoOoO

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

One drop then another then another. Shisui's glazed gaze kept on the leaky pipe of his cell. His form, emaciated and sickly, laid supine on the examination table, restrained. He breathed through his mouth, ragged, struggling breaths. He barely moved, the pain crushing him. Too many days had passed by, he couldn't keep track anymore. Hearing the door swing open, three pairs of footsteps entered his room.

Indra followed behind Obito, waiting to hear his latest reports on Shisui and peek at any new physical changes.

Obito, reading through his records, gave as much information to Indra as he deemed necessary. "The subject is given three meals a day, but refuses to eat. Occasionally, he'll drink water, but he's severely malnourished and his muscles have atrophied. After the first week, we doubled his dose and continued to double the amount each week. We're now at ten times the original measurement and he's still alive and well."

"That's good news," Indra nodded, impressed. "Any changes in behavior?"

Obito sat at his desk, rubbing his neck. "He suffers from bouts of extreme anger and cursing. He also threatens my assistant on a daily basis." He watched as Indra crept near Shisui's side. "Sir?"

"What's this wound from?" Indra brushed Shisui's tangled, unkempt hair away from his forehead, showing a nasty cut across his hairline, dried blood encrusting his skin.

Taking a drink from his cup, Obito motioned to the other bruises along his face and neck. "The subject has also become self-destructive. He toppled onto the floor and began beating his head against the stone until he lost consciousness. I had Izumi assist in his treatment."

On the other side of the room, Izumi prepared Shisui's lunch of fresh fruit and cut pieces of meat from the feasting halls. She poured a glass of water into a pewter cup and readied everything on a tray, taking it to Shisui. Indra stepped back, giving the woman space.

"Shisui, it's time for your lunch," she spoke quietly, her hands wavering, then reluctantly shaking his shoulder. "Shisui, it's time-"

He jerked up, surprising her. With his teeth bared, Shisui spat hateful remarks at Izumi, causing her to retreat back to her desk to collect herself. "Fucking traitor. Traitor to me and to the rest of your damn kind. Burn in Hell! Burn! I'm praying that demons invade this broken place and tear you apart, devouring you, bones and all! You've got blood on your hands, you bitch. Let yourself and all the others rot!" His chest heaved, attempting to force his bindings apart.

Indra's eyes never left Shisui, the beastly look in his features excited him. A rabid animal. One ready to kill. "Incredible. Is he always this way with her?"

"He absolutely despises her. The most she has done is feed him or clean his wounds, so there's no explanation for him to lash out at her." Rising from his chair, Obito began his walk to Shisui, only to be stopped by Indra's raised hand. "Lord Indra?"

"Release him. Lock the doors," Indra ordered.

Obito was very familiar with Indra's antics and he knew very well what was to come. "I need an assistant," he hissed. "It's too big of a burden on one individual."

"Then I'll assign a new one to you. Right now, I'd like you to release him. My... curiosity has been piqued," Indra replied with a smile.

Frustrated by his master's sudden decision, Obito made his way to Shisui's examination table and loosed the binding around his wrists and ankles. Having to bend to Indra's will really sacrificed some of his resources, but he too was wondering what the results of this 'test' would be. Backing away to lock the chambers, Obito hid a dagger up his flared sleeve, awaiting any further instructions if any dangers to him or Indra arose.

Indra approached Shisui's side. Bending forward, he whispered into his ear. "You want her dead? I can grant you that wish. On my word, Shisui. Kill her."

Shisui twitched, understanding, but unable to find the words to speak. His wrists slipped from the straps, but he continued to lay still, waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. He was deranged. A madman. He asked himself questions, thousands. They poured into his mind in one, disorderly heap.

It was night, wasn't it? Someone had left the table... Who was it? I went to the front gates... They were there. They were gone. If I just heard the name, the names. I don't know who they are - I don't know who I am.

He was losing himself. He wanted to die. Portions of the timeline from his life had been erased. What events led to him laying and rotting on a table anyway? Was it the person? The person he had forgotten?

On my word, Shisui. Kill her.

He couldn't kill. He shouldn't. He wouldn't. Oh, but he wanted to. How he hated her. Despised her and wanted her dead. She betrayed him. Turned his back on something that he just couldn't remember. But it festered and it burned and he wanted to watch her die. Slowly. But why?

Shisui. An angel. And angels didn't kill. Couldn't. Wouldn't. But he wasn't an angel anymore, was he? What was he?

He clenched his hand until his nails dug into his palms. Most of him was shaking, trembling, and twitching. Managing to turn his head, his eyes fell on Izumi.

His mind, cloudy and stagnant, had named her his abhorred target of ridicule and rage. All of him had believed she was responsible for his stay. She kept him there. She deserved to die. She betrayed him and would continue to betray others too. He was just going to be carrying out some much-needed justice.

Indra observed the scene unfolding with immense fascination. After being freed, Shisui hadn't attempted to escape which vexed the predecessor. With a smirk, he thought with amusement that maybe the boy was actually contemplating his options. Kill or not, Indra waited to spectate any incident. This was the first test. All Shisui had to do was pass it.

Stacking her records and tidying her desk for a breather, Izumi turned back to try, yet again, to feed her 'patient', as she called him. It never sat right with her. Realizing that they were experimenting on angels against their will left her fearing the worst for herself. She was in too deep and she was drowning. Even just an inch in the wrong direction could have her killed.

She took a fresh apple from his tray, peeling a portion while trying her best to sound soothing. "Shisui, I... I have some fruit for you. Would you like me to feed it to you?" She faked a smile, running the knife along the apple's skin. "If you eat a bit today... Maybe Obito will allow me to play some music for you? Wouldn't that be nice?"

Cutting a wedge, Izumi's eyes trailed down his chest, eyes falling on his freed arms then backed away, alarmed. "Obito-!"

Shisui lunged, tackling her down to the floor and throwing the tray and table across the room. His hands wrapped around her neck, squeezing and squeezing and squeezing.

Izumi grabbed at his hands unable to save herself. She looked to Obito for help, her eyes pleading with the man, but he turned away.

Don't you see, Izumi? They're doing this to me now, but what will stop them from doing it to you too?

Was she just a fool? They had assured her at every turn that she was safe, but now...

Izumi felt a wave of relief as Indra walked to her side, bending down to her level. Once he saved her, she'd quit being Obito's assistant, she'd -

"He can kill. Do you know what this means, Obito?" Indra asked, brushing some hair away from Izumi's face, her eyes wide and welling. "What a glorious day."

Obito didn't dare to utter a single word, hearing Izumi's strangled breaths. He may be right at the side of Lord Indra, but looking into her eyes may cause him to speak against his own leader.

"I apologize to you, Izumi. You were a loyal member of our healers and I applaud you for the hard work you've endured under Obito." Behind him, Obito stared in disgust. "Your sacrifice will change Heaven. I promise you that."

Izumi's eyes flooded with tears, mouth agape and body falling limp. The soullessness in Indra's gaze left her without hope. She was going to die, not at the hands of a demon, but the monster she helped to create.

"Shisui, kill her," Indra ordered.

Shisui pressed all of his weight onto her throat, the unsettling crack silencing Izumi's struggling. Gasping for air, Shisui stared down at her lifeless body, her eyes staring through him. She was dead. He did it. But the pain and anger still stabbed at him. Why hadn't they disappeared? He thought killing her would free him of his anguish, but it only seemed to heighten it.

His chipped, overgrown nails clawed at his own face as confusion and frustration escalated. He was no longer Shisui. Blood ran over his eyes, mixing along with the tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Angels cannot kill unless it be demons," Indra began, approaching Shisui. "But you are not an angel. You know this now, Shisui, don't you?"

Dry heaving, Shisui retched as Indra's hand touched his shoulder. "I-I... killed her! I killed her..." He sobbed loudly, screaming in the small room he had for a home.

Indra patted his back. "Your act was justified, Shisui. She betrayed you. You're a loyal servant, worthy and honorable and strong. You must realize that she was the one that caused you pain."

Nodding his head, Shisui choked back a cry. "She... was the one."

"There are more like Izumi, Shisui. More that worship a God unworthy of our love and loyalty. We must purge Heaven of the unbound and create a better world for the true servants of God. I'm the only one that can protect you. Do you understand?"

Shisui turned to him. "Yes."

"Then will you follow me?"

Obito observed Shisui as the man stared down at his trembling hands. Witnessing an angel kill was quite the sight to behold. To Obito, a frightening revelation was beginning to unfold.

Will you follow him, Shisui? I wonder myself if I have the will to carry out Lord Indra's plan. To kill our God... Obito's eyes widened as Shisui grabbed hold of Indra, tugging at him like a child seeking comfort.

"I am a monster. An abomination in your eyes, but I can think of nothing other than to serve you," Shisui wept. "If Lord Indra is willing to accept me then I will follow him without a single doubt."

Indra smiled, kissing the top of Shisui's head. "Of course."

Obito shook his head shamefully. Monster... Throughout my history, you're incomparable to the real evil, Shisui.

"Obito." Indra's voice startled the man.

"Yes, sir?"

"Use the remaining vials for this study. He should be fairly obedient now."

"Of course, Lord Indra." Taking his instructions down in his notes, his eyes inevitably trailed to Izumi's chilling corpse. "And what of her?"

"Dispose of it immediately. I'll be hosting a feast tonight, you will have enough privacy to enter Hell during that time. Afterward, we must move on to the next phase of our plans."

"Yes, sir. I'll finish my preparations as quickly as I can." Bowing to Indra as he exited the room, Obito dropped himself into his chair, staring at nothing.

A monster... Not even a demon could radiate such evil in one man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only really gets worse from here, guys. Strap yourselves in and get ready for the ride.


	14. Binds

"Okay, what am I thinking about right now?" Sakura rolled onto her stomach, one of her striped, decorative pillows stuffed underneath her.

"You're thinking about horses. Specifically, speckled ones. Can we stop this, please?" Sasori found her questions obnoxious and he could only stop himself from pushing her off the couch so many times.

She rubbed her face against the pillow, sighing loudly. "I'm sorry! I'm just so bored. We haven't done anything fun and my first day back at school is in less than a week!"

"Sakura, you didn't really think we'd just defeat Indra in a week's time, did you?"

"Maybe if we got our butts up and actually tried! But we're doing nothing now," she argued.

Deidara leaned over the back of the couch, tickling his fingers along Sakura's spine. "Calm down a bit, hm. Just a little time away from Hell won't hurt." He grinned as she fidgeted underneath his touch.

"I guess not." She laughed as Deidara toppled over the couch to sit at her feet. Pulling her by her wrists, he brought her to sit between his legs. With his arms now wrapped around her, he nuzzled his face into her neck.

"Deidara!"

"You smell good," he whispered, kissing her cheek.

Sakura squirmed, blushing heatedly as the others were spectators to Deidara's acts of affection. Ever since their trip away from the house and their... 'alone time', he had become increasingly handsy in front of the others. She didn't mind it, of course, but having it all come at once was a bit overwhelming. She'd never had a relationship before, so everything he did left her flustered.

The alarm on her phone buzzed at her to get ready for work. Deidara groaned, knowing full well what the little jingle meant.

"No, don't go to work today." He planted a barrage of kisses on her neck, sending goosebumps down her arms and legs.

"I can't... I've missed so much work already, so it's best not to miss anymore for the time being." Prying Deidara's arms off, she jumped off the couch towards the stairs. "I'll get my things ready."

As she climbed the stairs and shut the door behind her, the others quickly let loose their thoughts on the couple's rather odd relationship. Thinking of Deidara's rather delicate sensitivities, they made one-hundred percent sure to choose their words carefully for utmost respect.

"Deidara, this is weird," Kisame started.

Deidara, playing with Sakura's phone, barely acknowledged his statement. "Hm?"

"You're all gooey and it's fucking creeping us out!" Hidan exclaimed, trying to use his hands to gesticulate the abnormal feelings.

The blonde smiled as he swiped to a photo he took of Sakura while she was dressing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Taking a glance at the photo, Sasori gave him a skeptical look. "You're a fool in love."

Deidara laughed like a schoolgirl. "Is it that obvious?"

"You have a pretty stupid grin on your face, so I'd think so," Sasori replied blandly.

Moving through the full album of photos on her phone, Deidara couldn't stop himself from getting excited. "Call it what you want, but it doesn't matter! I'm with Sakura now!" His voice was sing-songy, the man so terribly elated by the fact that he now spent the majority of his time with Sakura.

"Yeah, he's just happy he got laid," Kakuzu noted.

"But I thought she was a shitshow in bed," Hidan pondered. "Pein said so."

Pein, isolated on the other side of the room, hunched his shoulders. "Shut the hell up, Hidan." Being reminded of it only pissed him off about the following events of that day.

"What did I do?! Man, what's up your ass?" Hidan growled, glaring at their leader.

Deidara chuckled, "He's just mad because Sakura's not paying any attention to him. She knows whose better in every department."

"That's not possible. I haven't slept with her yet," Sasori acknowledged.

"Eh?! I was talking about me! And what do you mean 'yet'?!" Deidara yelled.

Coming downstairs, Sakura stuffed her wallet into her large bag. "What's with the freakout? Everything okay?"

Handing over her phone, Deidara put on a smile for her. "Yeah, everything's good! When do you come back from work?"

"Around eight. Do you want me to pick anything up for dinner?"

Hidan raised his hand, mouth already drooling. "Coffee cake!"

"You can't have coffee cake for dinner, Hidan. I'll pick up some soba, okay? Anyway, I got to go now. I'll see you later."

"Sakura." Pein walked to her as she waited for him to speak. "Have a good night."

Completely ignoring Pein's existence, Sakura gave Deidara a tight hug. "I'll see you later, Deidara."

He kissed her on the lips, picking her up from around the waist. "Have a good night, Sakura!"

"Thanks, you too! Bye bye!" Leaving the house, she locked the door and made her typical walk to work.

Deidara cackled like a madman as he turned to Pein, the others seemed to share a similar amused expression. "Sakura's so sweet."

"She totally turned down Pein. Again," Kisame said, paying no mind to the glare thrown his way. "That whole thing you said must've really pissed her off."

"I apologized, so there's no need for her to react this way," Pein answered, clearly miffed by Sakura's 'childish' games.

Deidara didn't mind it at all. He loved it. Ever since they met, it was always Pein, Pein, Pein. Now that Sakura was interested in him, he took great joy in his leader's purposeless pursuits to regain her attention - and he took even greater joy in watching said pursuits fail pathetically. They may have had their own bout of intimacy, but Deidara was trying his hardest to make it their last. Every hug, kiss, or word was given genuinely to show her how much he liked her. There was not a single doubt in his mind that made him believe she could go back after Pein's heartless remark to her. Now, she just automatically ignored Pein and went straight to Deidara.

"You can apologize all you want. She's not interested anymore," Deidara proclaimed, waltzing off. "You're a bit late to try anything now, hm."

Walking past him, Deidara felt the sharp point of Pein's partizan on the back of his neck. He stopped mid-step, turning ever so slightly against the weapon's head. "No need for violence..."

"It seems that you have forgotten who your leader is."

"I didn't forget. I just don't care." His hands tightened into fists at his sides. "It's always about you and what you get to decide! Why can't I have something great for once? Why are you so damn important?!"

"Eh, that's a leader for you, kid," Kisame said sympathetically, clicking his tongue.

Pushing away the partizan, Deidara lashed out again. "That's another thing! You guys are always referring to me as some kid. Do I look like a five-year-old to you?! I'm over three-hundred! Give me a fucking break. Hidan's younger than I am and you guys aren't ragging on him all the time."

"That's because we don't expect anything from Hidan," Kakuzu answered.

Hidan's ears perked up. "Huh?! What did you fucking say?"

Deidara gestured to the rest of them. "I'm sick of it! No matter what I do, it's wrong." Turning to Pein, he met eyes with him. "And just because you're the 'leader' of the group, doesn't mean you get what you want."

"Of course it does," Pein responded, tilting his chin up.

Flashing blue eyes stared Pein down, Deidara's arms shaking as he flexed his wrists. "Sakura has the right to choose. And she chose me, so deal with it." The edge in his voice cut through his teeth, stabbing at Pein. He just couldn't take it anymore.

Finished with his ranting, Deidara walked to the stairs, climbing every other step towards Sakura's bedroom. Pein, on the first floor, watched quietly until speaking up. "You're an incredible asset to this team, Deidara. Having your mind clouded this severely will only impair you. Keeping this little fling with Sakura will only end up getting you killed. Do you understand that?"

Deidara scowled down at him before opening Sakura's bedroom door. "Please. I've been through all kinds of shit. Do you really think that I'll get myself killed over a relationship? I don't need your advice - I didn't even ask for it - so get off my damn back, hm." Slamming the door shut, the walls of the house rattled for a moment afterward.

"This is quite the conundrum," Sasori sighed, sinking further into the couch. "Why do you all have to bicker so much?"

"Literally every word out of your mouth creates an argument, Sasori," Kisame pointed out, receiving a knowing smile from the redhead. "Anyway, when are we going to see Madara's brother? Don't you think we should be taking care of this, Leader?"

"Izuna will have to wait. Konan made it clear that Sakura needs a break from Hell."

"Isn't that up to Sakura?" Kakuzu asked.

"Konan was firm on it. And I'm not going to do anything for that ass until she starts behaving better. This cold shoulder treatment is ridiculous and I'm refusing to let her win this fight." Pein paced obsessively at the base of the stairs, just waiting to hear Deidara slide open the window or find some other way to sneak out. If he heard even a squeak from that room, he was heading in with his weapon drawn.

Hidan scrunched up his face, confused by the entire love affair. "Why bother? Deidara may be annoying as hell, but at least she's left you alone."

"What are you talking about?" Pein asked.

Rolling his shoulders, Hidan answered back, "Any other time, you're annoyed by her and fighting. What does this love shit have to do with you?"

Kisame snickered, the whole 'problem' flying over Hidan's head. He could see it all so clearly, though. Pein appeared closed off, but he couldn't conceal everything and let his emotions slip now and again. Hidan was just too stupid to see it.

Pein refused to answer Hidan's question, avoiding it by feigning interest in an old chip in his partizan's blade. Really, what was wrong with him? Even being surrounded by powerful enemies with a slim chance at victory didn't have him so stressed. Sakura was just an ordinary human girl.

But if he hadn't acted so harsh to her, none of this wouldn't have happened. He had called her a plank of wood and compared her to an ape - just because that fool Deidara wanted to have his way with her.

And he did.

The thought itself just pissed him off. Deidara was an idiot. How could she be attracted to him? Collecting toys meant for children and being obsessed with humans. She undressed for him, touched him. The only thing Pein could brag about was a drunken night of messy sex and telling her not to kiss him. He pushed her away every time. Although he'd probably stab one of them, Pein was surprised he hadn't heard anyone telling him it was his fault yet. None of them would, though. He was the leader of the group. He was supposed to be level-headed, but he couldn't even pretend to hide his irritation.

Since that day, Deidara and Sakura slept together numerous times. Thirteen, exactly. Pein hated himself for acting so out of character. It disturbed him. But every kiss and every hug and every moment they had just tallied onto his count of infinite irritations. Most importantly, she was just ignoring him. Him! He gave her an apology, but she was too full of herself to accept it. All he could do now was make Deidara miserable enough to cut ties with her.

Then she'd be his again.

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura hurried through her tables, staying courteous whilst looking back at the clock constantly. After her shift, she'd hurry to the store for groceries then it was a movie with Deidara before bed. A nice evening in with someone she cared about made her happy. However, she wondered when the next visit to Hell would happen. They all seemed unsure of the details and she was growing a little bored at home doing normal things.

"Yabai-chan! I'd like some more tea, please!" A customer shook his cup at her, eagerly waiting for her return to the table. He gave her good tips, so Sakura waltzed over to snatch away his cup in the most 'Yabai-chan' way.

The door swung open, Naruto hustling in. Sweat dripped down his face as he knotted his tie and buttoned his vest. Jiraiya barely catching him, grabbed onto the young man's collar.

"Hey, hey! Why are you here so late? Ami's been covering the grill for you!"

"Sorry, Pervy-Boss! I took a nap and forgot to set my alarm. I'm not used to these shifts, y'know!" His eyes trailed to Sakura, his face brightening at the sight of her. "Sakura-chan!"

Naruto was on vacation for the past two weeks, visiting family. Some weirdo from the early morning shift was an okay substitute but made Sakura's shifts boring and awkward. Truthfully, her days at work were just unbearable without his loud, off-pitched singing, amusing stories, and typical Naruto antics. Now home, both were just as excited to see each other.

"Naruto! How was your trip?"

"It was great! See how tan I got?" He pulled up his sleeves, comparing their skin tones side-by-side with their forearms. "Hawaii is a lot of fun!"

Sakura laughed, "I only burn! You're so lucky, but man, you were gone so long! Don't do that to me again!"

He smiled, holding out his hand. "I promise! I won't be on any long vacations like that again!"

She smiled back, taking his hand to shake in agreement. When their hands met, Sakura winced, feeling a pulsing, hot jolt of electricity tunneling through her entire body. The pain emitted from his touch bled deep to her core, branching out and making her weak. Her vision darkened, blurring and phasing out Naruto's image. The restaurant faded from his background, collapsing into a grey, cloudy sky. She shut her eyes tightly, confused and out of breath. The heavy scent of blood drenched her senses. Her pores screamed with sweat as a body of heat overwhelmed her, intensifying every second. The tremendous pain was numbing her from the inside-out. Opening her eyes, she felt hands clasped with hers. Only now she was looking at herself - seeing through the eyes of someone else.

In her mirrored image, tears streaked her face, her entire front soaked in blood. She was panicking, trying so hard to hold tight to the hands she gripped to. Her voice shook as she begged for more time, promising that 'they' would bring help.

With her hearing muffled, the bloody Sakura called out, unraveling into a sobbing mess.

"Naruto! Naruto! You're not dying, dammit! Somebody! Help him! Please, just fucking help him! No, Naruto!"

The voice was trickling away. Her body felt cold, losing feeling. So tired. Very tired. Part of her wanted to lift a hand and just stroke her reflection's cheek, but in such an exhausted, weak state, all she could do was stare.

She felt her own mouth part slightly, a gurgle caught what words she tried to say in her throat. She coughed forcefully, feeling the warmth of blood dribbling off her lips. Words fumbled out before her mind could even sense them - almost as though they weren't hers to think.

"Sakura-chan... Did... you keep the sunflowers?"

She jerked awake, still shaking hands with Naruto at the cafe. She blinked, a headache growing square in the middle of her forehead.

"It's a promise! Okay, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura was unable to speak. Her legs shook and her bottom lip trembled. What had happened? Was she just seeing through Naruto's eyes?

That couldn't be. Naruto was right in front of her, perfectly healthy and alive. There wasn't a single explanation for the phenomenon she just witnessed.

She forced a hum of acceptance then quickly withdrew her hand, cradling it to her chest. The skin of her palm tingled like the ache of pins and needles after falling asleep in an uncomfortable position. Her once easygoing day was now filled with puzzling questions and a worry that gnawed at her heart. If anything were to come of the people she cared about - innocent people - she would need answers urgently.

She needed to tell Pein.

Snagging Jiraiya's sleeve, Sakura tried to skirt the rest of her shift. "Jiraiya, I'm not feeling too good. Could you have someone cover for me?"

Jiraiya arched a brow and shot her a displeasing frown. "Whuh? You're trying to leave early? Sorry, Yabai, but I can't allow it today. Yuu is out sick, so there won't be anyone to cover. You don't look bad, so you're obviously not dying. Stick it out, okay? I've got a business to run."

"You can live without one waitress for tonight! The place isn't even busy. Come on, Jiraiya."

"Hey, just because I gave you that nickname doesn't mean I'm okay with you mouthing off." With both hands on her shoulders, Jiraiya maneuvered her towards the tables filled with men. "Now, go look cute and act scrappy. You can go on a date or whatever after your shift is done."

Sakura cursed at him, receiving a few hoots and hollers at her busy tables. She fought back the urge to just dash out - it wasn't on her to-do list to start job hunting now. For the rest of her scheduled shift, she avoided any hand-to-hand contact with her patrons, garnering a few odd looks and scowls. She could sense that there was some strange link made up by her taking another's hand - or at least that's what she thought. Maybe it was a dream or freaky vision. Ami was smoking when she went in during her break. No, that was silly. Cigarette smoke wouldn't cause her to imagine something so terrible.

"Sakura-chan, you okay?" Naruto lingered near the edge of his station, catching eyes with Sakura as she glanced his way. "You're acting kind of out of it."

Smiling back at him, she playfully pushed him back to the grill. "I'm fine. Get back to work!" Still, her mind just couldn't shake such thoughts away.

The numbness. The cold. Was that really how death felt? Was that Naruto dying?

Gathering her tips from the last table of the evening, Sakura's watch beeped and she made her way to clock out for the night. Naruto gave her a tired grin then slid behind her in the queue to log out of the system.

"Lots of over-eaters tonight, right?" He popped a mint in his mouth from the little decorated box on the counter, cracking down on the hard candy with his teeth.

"Too many for what it's worth. That old geezer at the last table was so cheap," she said, printing out her work receipt and stuffing it in her apron's pocket.

He laughed, "Yeah, he was a creep." He hurried through his information on the computer then quickly caught up to her side. "Oh, um, hey."

"Yeah?" Her foot was tapping. She didn't notice it, but what little patience she had was waning alarmingly fast.

"Can I... come with you? I mean, your house. My mom and dad are having some get-together with the neighbors and... As long as you're not busy-"

"Sorry, Naruto, but I can't. I have some serious things to deal with."

He sighed, untied his stained cooking apron and balled it up in his hands. "We haven't hung out together since forever. Why are you always busy, Sakura?"

"It's not fair that you always have to make me feel bad. I have some important stuff that I need to do! We can hang out some other time, okay? I promise. Just let me text you and then we'll make some plans."

Using his apron to rub at some teriyaki sauce on his chin, Naruto rolled his eyes while grinning. "Yeah, I've heard that before. Keep that promise this time, 'kay? You kinda forget to follow through."

"I mean it this time. Talk to you soon, Naruto." She spun on her heels, heading towards the changing room.

Naruto waved, even as her back faced him. "I'll be waiting."

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura jogged past people on the streets until she reached her home. Unlocking her door, she called out in her loudest voice, jostling the men inside.

"Pein!"

Sasori glared from his usual spot and tweaked at his ear. "You're sweaty and acting stupid. What's the problem now?"

Deidara went to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "What's wrong, Sakura? What's going on?" He'd never seen her so frightened and worried before.

She shrugged away from his hands and smiled at him apologetically. "I need to talk to Pein. Something happened at work today and it's really important."

Flashing a smile, Deidara pointed to himself and tried again to get a grip on her. "Tell me what happened! You don't need that bastard's help!"

Again, Sakura wrestled out of his hold. "Sorry, but I think Pein may know more about this. I'll let you know after I've talked to him."

"Sakura, that's ridiculous! I know just as much as him and-" Deidara's words were cut short as Sakura lept towards the stairs, calling out for their leader. "Nevermind."

Kisame stifled a laugh, "What was it that you said earlier? 'Sakura's with me now', or, 'She'll ignore Pein and we'll be together forever'. That didn't last too long, I guess. So sorry, kid."

Deidara crossed his arms and clicked his tongue, disgruntled at the rising situation. "Tch. It's just a talk. Doesn't mean anything."

"It's important to her. And she's telling Pein first. That means something," Sasori pointed out.

The blonde stomped his foot and lashed out at his teammate's response. "You're trying to get under my skin! It's not going to work. It's been a long time since anything's happened between them. And Pein pretty much severed it himself, so I've got nothing to worried about. Stop causing some damn trouble when there's no trouble to begin with, hm!"

"I apologize. It's just too amazing to just ignore this. Be serious, you've got to find everything that's been happening lately all a little funny. You're so focused on making sure that you're happy with Sakura that you've never even bothered to ask if she's happy." Sasori smirked at Deidara, his eyes flickering with amusement. "I can tell you if you really want to know."

"Hasn't Pein already told you to stop reading her thoughts? Mind your damn business, hm?"

"I don't have to read her mind to know. It's written all over her face."

Kakuzu leaned back in his chair at the kitchen table, looking into the living room from his seat. "That's enough. Keep quiet now."

Deidara relaxed his fists, flexing his fingers. He avoided the looming stares from the others as he made his retreat towards the back door. Sasori wasn't right. Sakura had more fun with Deidara. She laughed and smiled more around him. Why would she want to fight all the time with Pein anyway? They were just talking. That's all. And it was solely because Pein had more experience with the subject of their conversation. He trusted Sakura's word more than what that damned Sasori was going on about.

"Pein!" Sakura burst into the room, rushing to their group's leader.

"Talking to me now? What do you even want?"

She yanked hard on his sleeve, the concern growing on her face. "Forget about that! I saw Naruto die! I mean - not really die, he's still alive - but it's like I was seeing through his eyes or something. And there's was another me and there was so much blood and I swear it! I feel like something bad is going to happen to him!" She continued to ramble, her anxiety advancing to sheer panic.

Pein sighed, "You're not making any sense. How can you see through his eyes? And if he's still alive there's nothing wrong."

"That's not what I'm saying! It was like a... a vision! I was just saying, 'Hi' and then I shook his hand and it felt like I was dying all over again."

He shook his head, moving her back with a small push. "You're imagining things. Just-"

"Why aren't you listening to me?!" She swept her arm across her desk, her college textbooks flying off and sprawled open on the floor in a disheveled mess. Stomping forward, she got into his face and banged her fists on his chest. "I felt him die. I was looking through his eyes! It was like I was Death itself!"

Pein staggered back, catching both of her hands in his. Her shoulders slumped, head falling forward with her pink fringe acting as a curtain to hide her sullen look. In his grip, her fists laxed then her body sank into his.

"What's happening to me? What if I'm the one..." She shook her head against his chest, biting her lip to stop her from finishing. She wouldn't lay a hand on Naruto - not now, or anytime. She'd rather herself get killed than someone who has nothing to do with what she's done.

Arms surrounded her, quieting her thoughts and ceasing the shivering she had only just noticed. Pein hesitantly linked both hands behind her back and squeezed her reassuringly.

"Naruto will be fine," he stated confidently. "Nothing will happen to him."

A relieved breath left her lips as she settled into the cramped space inside his arms. "Good." It was all she could say. Seeing herself covered in blood, begging for Naruto to keep breathing. That feeling of loss and fear was far worse than what she felt during her first visit to Hell.

Arguing against his affirmations didn't come to mind. She didn't want to share the doubts she had. Sakura just wanted him to tell her everything was fine. Naruto was safe and there wasn't a single thing to worry about.

Nothing bad would happen. If anyone tried to, she'd stop them. She was a good guy and the good guys always won and saved the day.

"Get some rest tonight. We'll be dropping in to find Izuna."

"What? Why? Does it have anything to do with my vision?"

Pein nodded, "Since Izuna and Madara were close, he'll have some idea what could be causing this to happen."

She glimpsed down at her open hands then hid them behind her back. "What if it's permanent? I can't just let this keep happening. What if-"

Pein patted her head, silencing her resurge of worries. "Stop. We don't know anything yet. Just stay calm."

She sighed and closed her eyes. He was right. Jumping to conclusions and worrying herself sick wasn't going to help.

"Okay, I'm okay."

His hand slipped off of her head, brushing her hair over her face. "Be patient. We'll get our answers."

"We'll find Izuna," she declared.

Deidara burst through the doorway, startling Sakura and causing their leader to roll his eyes. "Sakura!"

"Deidara!" Sakura laughed, practically skipping to him. "We're going to see Izuna tomorrow."

"That's good, hm!" He eyed Pein. "And that's it, right? You're done talking?"

She smiled as his arms wrapped around her protectively. "Yeah, let's go cook dinner." She looked over her shoulder as Deidara guided her out of the room. "Would you like some too?"

Pein stepped back, clumsily bumping into the desk behind him causing any remaining books to fall to the floor. "No, I'm fine. I'll be in Hell explaining the situation to Konan."

"You sure?"

He hesitated, still uncertain if she was just going to ignore him again. Glancing at the blonde's cold, unwelcoming expression, Pein decided against it. "It's alright, Sakura. Maybe next time."

Sakura wanted him there but knew it was better to agree. As long as she got answers to why she saw Naruto's death first-hand then Pein could do anything he wanted to get results. She'd wade through Hell's dark waters, through the skin-melting temperatures, the icy cold. Naruto was important and, if the vision was true, she needed to find out how to protect him.

At all costs.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," she said confidently.

Pein agreed, "Have a good night, Sakura."

She smiled back at him before Deidara led her out of the room. "Good night, Pein."

A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the long wait, but it's just that I'm kind of disappointed. I get the feeling that this story isn't as great as I hoped, so I took a long break to really think about it. I want to finish it, but I'm just not sure. Anyway, like always, tell me what you think and thanks for reading.


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